Lysimachia fortunei Maxim. (E As.) – An exceptional escape from or relic of cultivation or a more or less established throw-out. It was seen on rough ground in Wingene in 2016.
Lysimachia fortunei belongs to a complex group of Far Eastern species with white-flowered long racemose inflorescences. Its erect inflorescence with glabrous axis and alternate leaf arrangement separates it from similar species that are also grown as ornamentals in western Europe (e.g. L. barystachys Bunge and L. clethroides Duby; see Mitchem 1997, Jäger & al. 2008).
Lysimachia fortunei – although frequently cultivated nowadays – is very rarely seen as an escape. It is known from New South Wales in Australia where it was probably introduced by migrating birds (Kodela 2006). In New Zealand it is considered a high risk alien (www.hear.org).
Selected references
Hu C.-M. & Kelso S. (1996) Primulaceae. In: Wu Z.-Y. & Raven P.H. (eds.), Flora of China, vol. 15. Science Press: Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden: St Louis: 39-89. [available online at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=119206]
Iwatsuki K., Yamazaki T., Boufford D.E. & Ohba H. (eds.) (1993), Flora of Japan, vol. IIIa. Kodansha: Tokyo.
Jäger E.J., Ebel F., Hanelt P. & Müller G. (eds.) (2008) Rothmaler Band 5. Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Krautige Zier- und Nutzpflanzen. Springer Verlag, Berlin: 880 p.
Kodela P.G. (2006) Lysimachia (Myrsinaceae) in New South Wales. Telopea 11(2): 147-154. [available online at: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Telopea/results.php?Where=ArtParentRef...
Mitchem C.M. (1997) Lysimachia. In: Cullen J. & al. (eds.), The European Garden Flora, vol. 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 555-557.