Fauna
Flower

Whorled Loosestrife

Lysimachia quadrifolia

Also known as Whorled Yellow Loosestrife, Crosswort

Whorled loosestrife brightens open eastern woodlands each summer with star-shaped yellow flowers rising on delicate stalks from tidy rings of lance-shaped leaves. Instead of producing sugary nectar, its blossoms offer energy-rich floral oils, forming an exclusive mutualism with specialized oil-collecting bees. Underground rhizomes spread steadily through acidic, sandy soils, forming airy colonial patches across dappled forest clearings.

WildflowerNativePerennial
Whorled Loosestrife reference1 / 7
(c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Woodland Grasshoppers
  • Sawfly Larvae
ThreatsHabitat loss, woodland canopy closure, displacement by invasive plants
HabitatsDry open woods, forest edges, thickets, rocky slopes, sandy uplands
Life spanPerennial
Classification
  1. OrderEricales
  2. FamilyPrimulaceae
  3. GenusLysimachia
  4. SpeciesLysimachia quadrifolia
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Leaf Counting: Look for rings of four leaves at each stem node to confirm identification.
  • Pollinator Watching: Watch early morning blossoms for specialized oil-collecting bees gathering nest provisions.
  • Habitat Clues: Search along sunny trails and partially cleared ridges rather than dense, deep shade.
Related species
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