Lythrum salicaria (Purple-loosestrife) is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae, native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, an southeastern Australia. The name is commonly cited unhyphenated as purple loosestrife, but it should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae. Other names include spiked loosestrife, or purple lythrum; in French it is salicaire, and in Chinese 千屈菜 qian qu cai.