Lythrum (family Lythraceae, *tribe Lythreae) A genus of herbs and shrubs in which the leaves are either in whorls or opposite, usually simple, and with small or no stipules. The flowers are regular and bisexual, usually solitary, with 12 stamens in 2 whorls of different lengths. The fruit is a dry capsule, with numerous seeds without endosperm. There are 38 species, found throughout the world, except S. America.

Lythraceae A family of herbs, with a few shrubs and trees, in which the leaves are opposite or whorled and the flowers regular, with 4–6 (or no) free sepals and petals, 4–12 stamens, and a 2–6-celled, superior ovary. The fruit is a capsule. There are 26 genera, with about 580 species, with a pantropical distribution, plus a few temperate species.