familyPolygalaceae
genusAsemeia
speciesAsemeia grandiflora

Asemeia grandiflora

(Walter) Small

Man. S.E. Fl., 766. 1933.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Showy milkwort
Basionym: Polygalagrandiflora walter Fl. Carol., 179. 1788
Synonyms: Asemeia cumulicola (Small) Small A. leiodes (S. F. Blake) Small A. miamiensis (Small) Small P. corallicola Small P. cumulicola Small P. grandiflora var. angustifolia Torrey & A. Gray P. grandiflora var. leiodes S. F. Blake P. miamiensis Small
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.
Please click on the illustration for a higher resolution version.
Illustrator:

Copyright:

Herbs (0.8–) 2–5.5 (–10) dm. Stems glabrous or hairs appressed or spreading. Leaves: petiole 1–4 mm; blade oblanceolate, linear-oblanceolate, elliptic, lanceolate, narrowly ovate, or linear, (6–) 15–50 (–64) × (0.3–) 2–17 mm, base acute, apex acute, surfaces usually pubes­cent, at least on veins abaxially. Racemes usually loose, rarely very open, 5–10 (–20) × 1–2.5 cm; peduncle 0.3–1.7 cm; bracts ovate to lanceolate. Pedicels (1–) 2–4 mm, usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous. Flowers: sepals (1–) 1.3–3.1 mm; wings orbiculate to reniform or obovate, often somewhat 4-angled, 2–6.8 mm wide; keel 2–5 (–7) mm. Capsules ellipsoid, oblong, or ovoid, 3–5.3 × 2–3 mm. Seeds 1.1–2.5 mm; aril 1 mm, lobes helmet­like, to 1/4 length of seed. 2n = 28.


Phenology: Flowering spring–summer (year-round).
Habitat: Open dry, sandy habitats, open pine and oak associations, dunes, roadsides, savannas, prairies.
Elevation: 0–300 m.

Distribution

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Mexico (Chiapas), West Indies, Central America

Discussion

Asemeia grandiflora is highly polymorphic, with numerous historically recognized segregate species or infraspecific taxa (C. E. Nauman 1981b; J. K. Small 1933). However, the characters artificially selected for differentiating the taxa, such as pubescence, presence of glandular trichomes, relative length of capsules and wing sepals, wing sepal coloration and shape, capsule shape, keel length, and leaf width, are polymorphic features without consistent geographical structure. Other features, such as being more strongly perennial (multi-branched and suffrutescent) farther south and more clearly herbaceous or, perhaps, even annual farther north, are clearly correlated with climate and not necessarily indicative of taxonomic distinctiveness. This situation is further complicated by the species being part of the even more widespread complex of Asemeia violacea (Aublet) J. F. B. Pastore & J. R. Abbott as circumscribed by M. C. M. Marques. More work is needed to determine whether A. grandiflora should be treated as conspecific with A. violacea, as many other related entities are still recognized and no phylogenetic or populational data have been presented to show that this entity is unworthy of recognition.

Asemeia grandiflora is the only species of Polygala­ceae in eastern North America with an entire keel (lacks a beak or crest).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Asemeia grandiflora"
RDF feed
2n chromosome quantity
28 +
Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex shape
acute +
Aril lobe presence
absent +
Aril lobe prominence
vestigial +
Aril some measurement
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
(Walter) Small +
Base shape
acute +
Basionyms
Polygalagrandiflora walter +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade atypical length
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (6.4 cm64 mm <br />0.064 m <br />) +
Blade atypical width
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade length
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
linear +, ovate +, lanceolate +, elliptic +, linear-oblanceolate +  and oblanceolate +
Blade size
uniform +
Blade surface pubescence
pubescent +
Blade width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
Bract duration
persistent +  and deciduous +
Bract quantity
1 +
Bract shape
ovate +  and lanceolate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Bundle quantity
4 +
Capsule length
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.53 cm5.3 mm <br />0.0053 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
ovoid +, oblong +  and ellipsoid +
Capsule width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Common name
Showy milkwort +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Distribution
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Mexico (Chiapas) +, West Indies +  and Central America +
Elevation
0–300 m. +
Filament fusion
connate +
Flower architecture
sessile +  and pedicellate +
Flower architecture or shape
symmetric +
Flower coloration
pink +  and purple +
Flower location
in proximal leaf-axils +  and subterranean +
Flower quantity
1 +  and 5 +
Flower reproduction
chasmogamous +
Flower some measurement
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
Fruits capsule architecture
samaroid +  and pseudomonomerous +
Fruits capsule dehiscence
dehiscent +
Fruits capsule pubescence
glabrous +  and pubescent +
Fruits capsule shape
isodiametric +  and slightly oblong +
Habitat
Open dry, sandy habitats, open pine and oak associations, dunes, roadsides, savannas, prairies. +
Hair orientation
spreading +  and appressed +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb atypical some measurement
5.5dm (10dm) +
Herb duration
perennial +
Herb growth form
suffrutescent +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
2dm (5.5dm) +
Illustration
Present +
Inflorescence position
axillary +  and terminal +
Keel architecture or shape
entire +
Keel atypical some measurement
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
Keel pubescence
pubescent +
Keel some measurement
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Lateral inner sepal architecture
petaloid +
Lateral inner sepal fusion
adnate +
Lateral inner sepal size
expanded +
Lateral petal quantity
2 +
Lateral petal size
reduced +
Leaf architecture
petiolate +
Leaf arrangement
alternate +
Leaf growth form
dimorphic +
Leaf position
basal +  and cauline +
Leaf presence
absent +
Lobe length
0 length of seed (1/4 length of seed) +
Lobe shape
like +  and helmet +
Locule atypical quantity
2 (40) +
Lower petal life cycle
anthesis +
Lower petal quantity
1 +
Lower sepal length
2 +
Lower sepal pubescence
glandular-ciliate +, subglabrous +  and pubescent +
Lower sepal quantity
2 +
Lower sepal shape
2-lobed +
Margin architecture
winged +
Margin architecture or shape
entire +
Margin position
leaf-opposed +, axillary +  and terminal +
Margin pubescence
pubescent +  and glabrous +
Number of lower taxa
0 +
Outer sepal quantity
1 +  and 3 +
Ovary architecture
2-loculed +
Ovary architecture or structure in adjective form
2[-8]-locular +
Ovary placentation
axile +
Ovary position
superior +
Ovule quantity
1 +
Pedicel architecture
winged +
Pedicel atypical some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Pedicel presence
absent +
Pedicel pubescence
glabrous +  and pubescent +
Pedicel some measurement
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.7 cm17 mm <br />0.017 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Petiole some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Phenology
Flowering spring–summer (year-round). +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Publication title
Man. S.E. Fl., +
Publication year
1933 +
Raceme architecture
open +
Raceme architecture or fragility
loose +
Raceme atypical length
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br />) +
Raceme length
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Raceme width
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
Reference
None +
Rootstock coloration
usually brownish +  and whitish +
Rootstock relief
exfoliating +
Seed architecture
arillate +
Seed architecture or pubescence or relief
smooth +
Seed coloration
blackish +
Seed pubescence
pubescent +
Seed quantity
1 +
Seed shape
ellipsoid +
Seed some measurement
0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
Sepal arrangement
imbricate +
Sepal atypical some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br />) +
Sepal duration
persistent +
Sepal quantity
5 +
Sepal size
unequal +
Sepal some measurement
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.31 cm3.1 mm <br />0.0031 m <br /> (?) +
Shrub architecture
unarmed +
Shrub growth form
clonal +
Shrub reproduction
synoecious +
Slit height or length or size
short +
Species architecture
capsular +
Stamen arrangement
not grouped +
Stamen atypical quantity
10 (2) +
Stamen quantity
8 +
Stem growth form or orientation
creeping +, prostrate +  and decumbent +
Stem orientation
spreading +  and erect +
Stem pubescence
glabrous +
Stigma quantity
2 +
Stipule architecture
not +  and petiolate +
Stipule presence
absent +
Style quantity
1 +
Subapical pore quantity
1 +
Synonyms
Asemeia cumulicola +, A. leiodes +, A. miamiensis +, P. corallicola +, P. cumulicola +, P. grandiflora var. angustifolia +, P. grandiflora var. leiodes +  and P. miamiensis +
Taxon family
Polygalaceae +
Taxon name
Asemeia grandiflora +
Taxon parent
Asemeia +
Taxon rank
species +
Upper petal arrangement or vernation
conduplicate +
Upper petal orientation
reflexed +
Upper petal quantity
2 +
Upper petal shape
crested +  and lobed +
Upper sepal quantity
2 +
Volume
Volume 10 +
Wing atypical some measurement
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Wing duration
persistent +
Wing pubescence
subglabrous +  and pubescent +
Wing shape
4-angled +, orbiculate +  and reniform or obovate +
Wing some measurement
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
Wing width
2mm;6.8mm +