familyPolygalaceae
genusPolygala
speciesPolygala leptostachys

Polygala leptostachys

Shuttleworth ex A. Gray

Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 41. 1852.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Threadleaf milkwort
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.

Herbs annual, single-stemmed, 1.5–3.5 (–5) dm, unbranched or branched distally; from slender taproot, sometimes becoming fibrous-root cluster. Stems erect, glabrous. Leaves whorled, at least proximally, to alternate distally; sessile or subsessile; blade narrowly obovate to linear-spatulate proximally, linear to filiform distally, 3–30 × 0.5–1 (–2.5) mm, base cuneate, apex acute, surfaces glabrous. Racemes spikelike, narrowly cylin­dric, 0.5–6 × 0.2–0.4 cm; peduncle 0.7–3 cm; bracts deciduous, ovate to lanceolate-ovate. Pedicels 0–0.5 mm, glabrous. Flowers white or greenish white, 1.5–2.8 mm; sepals ovate to elliptic, 0.6–1.1 mm; wings elliptic or obovate, 1.5–2.6 × 0.8–1 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded; keel 1.3–2.5 mm, crest 2-lobed, with 2 or 3 lobes on each side. Capsules ellipsoid to oblong, 1.7–2.2 × 1–1.5 mm, margins not winged. Seeds 1.5–2 mm, glabrous; aril 1 mm, lobes 1/2 length of seed.


Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Sandhills, dry to xeric pine-oak woodlands.
Elevation: 0–100 m.

Distribution

Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss.

Discussion

Polygala leptostachys is most common in Florida and rare elsewhere in its range.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Polygala leptostachys"
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Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex shape
obtuse +  and bluntly rounded +
Aril some measurement
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
Shuttleworth ex A. Gray +
Base shape
cuneate +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade atypical width
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade length
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
narrowly obovate +  and linear-spatulate proximally +
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
ovate +  and lanceolate-ovate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Capsule length
0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
ellipsoid +  and oblong +
Capsule width
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
Common name
Threadleaf milkwort +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Crest pubescence
glabrous +
Crest shape
2-lobed +
Distribution
Ala. +, Fla. +, Ga. +  and Miss. +
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
greenish white +  and white +
Flower coloration or density
purple +
Flower location
in proximal leaf-axils +  and subterranean +
Flower quantity
fewer +
Flower reproduction
cleistogamous +  and chasmogamous +
Flower some measurement
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 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
Sandhills, dry to xeric pine-oak woodlands. +
Herb architecture
branched +, unbranched +  and single-stemmed +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb atypical some measurement
3.5dm (5dm) +
Herb duration
annual +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
1.5dm (3.5dm) +
Inflorescence position or structure subtype
terminal +
Keel shape
crested +
Keel some measurement
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 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 +  and whorled +
Leaf position
cauline +  and basal +
Leaf presence
absent +
Leaf variability
uniform +
Lobe length
1/2 length of seed (?) +
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 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Phenology
Flowering spring–summer. +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Publication title
Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. +
Publication year
1852 +
Raceme architecture
interrupted +
Raceme length
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Raceme shape
spikelike +
Raceme width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 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
glabrous +
Seed quantity
1 +
Seed shape
ellipsoid +
Seed some measurement
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 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 elliptic +
Sepal size
unequal +
Sepal some measurement
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 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 leptostachys +
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 /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
Wing pubescence
glabrous +
Wing shape
obovate +  and elliptic +
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 +