The crystal structure of lithium L-ascorbate dihydrate is triclinic, Pl; with a = 5.964(9), b = 5.299(9), c = 7.760(15) A; alpha = 100.82(9), beta = 109.78(9), gamma = 92.02(9) degrees. The plant fragment of the ascorbate anion is a part of the five-membered ring [C-1,C-2,C-3(O-3),C-4], and O-4 deviates by 0.053(2) A from this plane. Deprotonated O-3 is an acceptor of three hydrogen bonds, but does not interact with Li+. The coordination number of the Li+ is 5 and it is bonded to two water molecules and three hydroxyl oxygen atoms of two ascorbate anions: O-2 and the gauche O-5, 6 of the side chain.