familyPolygalaceae
genusPolygala
speciesPolygala curtissii

Polygala curtissii

A. Gray

Manual ed. 5, 121. 1867.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Curtiss’s or Appalachian milkwort
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.

Herbs annual, single-stemmed, 1–4 dm, usually branched distally; from taproot, some­times becoming fibrous-root cluster. Stems erect, glabrous. Leaves alternate; sessile or subsessile; blade linear to linear-oblong or narrowly oblan­ceolate, 10–20 × 1–2 mm, base cuneate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous. Racemes capitate, 1–2 × 0.8–1.3 cm; peduncle to 5 cm (elongate); bracts persistent, lanceolate. Pedicels 1.3–2.8 mm, glabrous. Flowers usually pink or purple, rarely white, 3.2–5 mm; sepals ovate, 1.5–2 mm; wings elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 3–5 × 1–2 mm, apex acute, obtuse, or bluntly rounded; keel 2.5–2.7 mm, crest 2-lobed, with 2–4 lobes on each side. Capsules subglobose, (1.7–) 2.5–3 × 2.5–3 mm, margins not winged. Seeds 1–1.5 mm, pubescent; aril 1–1.2 mm, lobes to 1/3 length of seed. 2n = 40.


Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Dry, sandy meadows, old fields, open woods.
Elevation: 0–1300 m.

Distribution

Ala., Del., D.C., Ga., Ky., Md., Miss., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Polygala curtissii is common in the southeastern United States, but rare in the northern part of its range in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Polygala curtissii"
RDF feed
2n chromosome quantity
40 +
Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex shape
rounded +, obtuse +  and acute +
Aril some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
A. Gray +
Base shape
cuneate +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade length
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
narrowly +, linear +  and linear-oblong +
Blade size
uniform +
Blade surface pubescence
pubescent +  and glabrous +
Blade width
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Bract duration
persistent +
Bract quantity
1 +
Bract shape
lanceolate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Capsule atypical length
0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
Capsule length
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
subglobose +
Capsule width
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Common name
Curtiss’s or Appalachian milkwort +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Crest pubescence
glabrous +
Crest shape
2-lobed +
Distribution
Ala. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Ga. +, Ky. +, Md. +, Miss. +, N.J. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Va. +  and W.Va. +
Elevation
0–1300 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 +, purple +  and 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
0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 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
Dry, sandy meadows, old fields, open woods. +
Herb architecture
branched +  and single-stemmed +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb duration
annual +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
1dm (4dm) +
Inflorescence position or structure subtype
terminal +
Keel shape
crested +
Keel some measurement
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.27 cm2.7 mm <br />0.0027 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 (1/3 length of seed) +
Lobe quantity
2 (4) +
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
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Phenology
Flowering summer–fall. +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Publication title
Manual ed. +
Publication year
1867 +
Raceme architecture
interrupted +
Raceme architecture or shape
capitate +
Raceme length
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Raceme width
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 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 /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 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 +
Sepal size
unequal +
Sepal some measurement
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 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 +
Taxon family
Polygalaceae +
Taxon name
Polygala curtissii +
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
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
Wing pubescence
glabrous +
Wing shape
elliptic +  and ovate-elliptic +
Wing some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
Wing width
1mm;2mm +