editorial

There are two distinct forms of Lysimachia arvensis, scarlet pimpernel (Lysimachia arvensis var. arvensis), which has orange or reddish-coloured flowers, and blue pimpernel Lysimachia arvensis var. caerulea), which has dark blue or purplish-coloured flowers. The very similar blue flowered L. foemina is not known in NZ. Lysimachia foemina can be distinguished from Lysimachia arvensis on the basis of the hairiness and arrangement of the petals and by the length of the flower stalk. This species has just a few glandular hairs on the margins of the petals, clearly separated from one another (never imbricate). Furthermore the flower stalk is shorter (10 mm (0.39 in)). The colour of the flowers is not a useful diagnostic character.