Purple loosestrife

Description:

This Loosestrife is a herbaceous perennial plant, growing tall, sometimes up to 2m in height; here a bit short of 1m. The stems are reddish-purple and square in cross-section, bearing narrow lanceolate leaves. Flowers are clustered tightly and positioned terminally on the stem; they are some 2 to 2,5 cm wide and purple. The entire plant can be seen following this link: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/916...

Habitat:

This Loosestrife is common in our region, I observed it often, and always in proximity of water or in wet and poorly drained meadows and bogs. Here, observed growing on edges of deciduous, predominantly oak, (Bagasse forest) forest on France-Switzerland border, in a valley of lake Geneva, just in between Jura and Alps mountains ranges.

Notes:

It has been used as an astringent medicinal herb to treat diarrhea and dysentery; there are also informations about its use in fortifying tonics.