familyPolygalaceae
genusPolygala
speciesPolygala appendiculata

Polygala appendiculata

Vellozo

Fl. Flumin., 292. 1829.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Swamp milkwort
Synonyms: Polygala leptocaulis Torrey & A. Gray
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.

Herbs annual, single-stemmed, (1–) 2–5 (–6) dm, branched distally; from taproot, usually quickly becoming fibrous-root cluster. Stems erect, glabrous. Leaves alternate; sessile or subsessile; blade linear to subfiliform, 8–25 × 0.5–1 mm, base obtuse to cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces glabrous. Racemes cylindric, 1.5–13 × 0.5–0.6 cm; peduncle 0.5–1 cm; bracts deciduous, narrowly lanceolate-ovate. Pedicels 0.8–1 mm, glabrous. Flowers usually purplish-pink or lavender-pink, rarely white, 1.6–2.2 mm; sepals ovate to narrowly lanceolate-ovate, 0.6–1 mm; wings obovate or elliptic, 1.5–2 × 0.8–1 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded; keel 1.5–2 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2–3 lobes on each side. Capsules oblong to ellipsoid, 1.4–2 × 0.7–1.1 mm, margins not winged. Seeds 1–1.2 mm, pubescent; aril 0.1 (–0.2) mm, lobes less than 1/8 length of seed.


Phenology: Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat: Savannas, pastures, bogs, open pine woods, pond margins.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

Fla., La., Miss., Tex., Mexico (Campeche), Mexico (México), Mexico (Michoacán), Mexico (Tabasco), Mexico (Veracruz), West Indies, Central America, South America

Discussion

Polygala appendiculata is part of a widespread complex in Latin America, potentially representing more than one evolutionary lineage. Even if found to be a single lineage, it is one with a complicated nomenclatural history (J. F. B. Pastore 2013).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Polygala appendiculata"
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Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex shape
obtuse +  and bluntly rounded +
Aril atypical some measurement
0.01 cm0.1 mm <br />1.0e-4 m <br /> (0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br />) +
Aril some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
Vellozo +
Base shape
obtuse +  and cuneate +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade length
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
linear +  and subfiliform +
Blade size
uniform +
Blade surface pubescence
pubescent +  and glabrous +
Blade width
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
Bract duration
deciduous +
Bract quantity
1 +
Bract shape
lanceolate-ovate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Capsule length
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
oblong +  and ellipsoid +
Capsule width
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br />) +
Common name
Swamp milkwort +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Crest pubescence
glabrous +
Crest shape
2-parted +
Distribution
Fla. +, La. +, Miss. +, Tex. +, Mexico (Campeche) +, Mexico (México) +, Mexico (Michoacán) +, Mexico (Tabasco) +, Mexico (Veracruz) +, West Indies +, Central America +  and South America +
Elevation
0–100 m. +
Fibrou-root arrangement
cluster +
Filament fusion
connate +
Flower architecture
sessile +  and pedicellate +
Flower architecture or shape
symmetric +
Flower arrangement
not grouped +
Flower atypical some measurement
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Flower coloration
white +, lavender-pink +  and purplish-pink +
Flower coloration or density
purple +
Flower location
in proximal leaf-axils +  and subterranean +
Flower quantity
fewer +
Flower reproduction
cleistogamous +  and chasmogamous +
Flower some measurement
0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 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
Savannas, pastures, bogs, open pine woods, pond margins. +
Herb architecture
branched +  and single-stemmed +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb atypical some measurement
5dm (6dm) +
Herb duration
annual +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
2dm (5dm) +
Inflorescence position or structure subtype
terminal +
Keel shape
crested +
Keel some measurement
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 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
subsessile +  and sessile +
Leaf arrangement
alternate +
Leaf position
cauline +  and basal +
Leaf presence
absent +
Leaf variability
uniform +
Lobe length
0 length of seed (1/8 length of seed) +
Lobe quantity
2 (3) +
Locule atypical quantity
2 (40) +
Lower petal life cycle
anthesis +
Lower petal quantity
1 +
Lower sepal quantity
2 +
Margin architecture
not winged +
Margin architecture or shape
entire +
Margin position
leaf-opposed +, axillary +  and terminal +
Margin pubescence
glabrous +, ciliolate +  and ciliate +
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 presence
absent +
Pedicel pubescence
glabrous +
Pedicel some measurement
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Phenology
Flowering spring–early summer. +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Publication title
Fl. Flumin., +
Publication year
1829 +
Raceme architecture
interrupted +
Raceme length
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (13 cm130 mm <br />0.13 m <br />) +
Raceme shape
cylindric +
Raceme width
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 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
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
Seeds coat architecture
arillate +
Seeds coat pubescence
pubescent +
Sepal arrangement
imbricate +
Sepal duration
persistent +
Sepal pubescence
glabrous +
Sepal quantity
5 +
Sepal shape
ovate +  and narrowly lanceolate-ovate +
Sepal size
unequal +
Sepal some measurement
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +
Shrub architecture
unarmed +
Shrub growth form
clonal +
Shrub reproduction
synoecious +
Slit height or length or size
short +
Species architecture
capsular +
Stamen atypical quantity
6 (8) +
Stamen quantity
8 +
Stem architecture or arrangement
lax +
Stem growth form or orientation
prostrate +  and decumbent +
Stem orientation
erect +
Stem pubescence
glabrous +
Stigma quantity
2 +
Stipule architecture
not +  and petiolate +
Stipule presence
absent +
Style quantity
1 +
Subapical pore quantity
1 +
Surface pubescence
glabrous +
Synonyms
Polygala leptocaulis +
Taxon family
Polygalaceae +
Taxon name
Polygala appendiculata +
Taxon parent
Polygala +
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 duration
persistent +
Wing length
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Wing pubescence
glabrous +
Wing shape
elliptic +  and obovate +
Wing some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
Wing width
0.8mm;1mm +