familyPolygalaceae
genusPolygala
speciesPolygala polygama

Polygala polygama

Walter

Fl. Carol., 179. 1788.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Bitter or racemed milkwort polygale polygame
Synonyms: Polygala aboriginum Small P. polygama var. obtusata Chodat
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.
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Herbs short-lived perennial or biennial (rarely annual), single or multistemmed, (1–) 1.5–3 (–5) dm, mostly unbranched, or sparsely branched distally; from taproot or fibrous-root cluster. Stems usually erect, rarely somewhat sprawling, glabrous. Leaves usually alternate, sometimes subopposite or opposite when leaves scalelike proximally (less than 1 mm); sessile or subsessile, sometimes with narrow petiolelike region to2 mm; blade spatulate to obovate or, sometimes, scale­like proximally, linear-oblong or elliptic to oblanceolate distally, (8–) 15–30 (–40) × 2–6 (–8) mm, base acute or cuneate, apex obtuse to rounded or, sometimes, acute proximally to mostly acute distally, surfaces glabrous. Racemes loosely cylindric, open, elongate, (2–) 5–10 (–25) × 0.8–1.4 cm; peduncle 1–2 cm; bracts deciduous, ovate to oblong-ovate. Pedicels 1–4 mm, glabrous. Cleistogamous flowers present in racemes usually below, rarely just above, soil surface, sometimes in proximal leaf-axils later in season. Flowers usually pink to pale-purple, rarely whitish, outer sepals sometimes with pink or white margins, 4–6 mm; sepals ovate, 1.3–2.5 mm; wings elliptic or obovate, 3–6 × 1.6–2.7 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded; keel (2–) 3–5 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2 or 3 divided lobes on each side. Capsules broadly ellipsoid or globose-ovoid, 2–4 × 2–3 mm, margins not winged. Seeds 1.8–3 mm, usually densely short-pubescent to subglabrous; aril 0.8–2 mm, lobes 1/3–3/4 length of seed. 2n = 56.


Phenology: Flowering spring–mid summer.
Habitat: Sandy meadows, savannas, bogs, sandhills, flatwoods, dry hammocks, floodplain swamps, open roadsides, clear-cuts, granite outcrops, coastal dunes.
Elevation: 0–300 m.

Distribution

N.S., Ont., Que., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Variety obtusata, based primarily on having a slightly denser raceme, is not recognized here; that character is found throughout the range of the species, often in the same population as plants with more open inflo­rescences (for example, C. W. James 1957).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Polygala polygama"
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2n chromosome quantity
56 +
Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex shape
obtuse +  and bluntly rounded +
Aril some measurement
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
Walter +
Base shape
cuneate +  and acute +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
, +, spatulate +  and obovate +
Blade size
uniform +
Blade surface pubescence
pubescent +  and glabrous +
Bract duration
deciduous +
Bract quantity
1 +
Bract shape
ovate +  and oblong-ovate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Capsule length
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
globose-ovoid +  and ellipsoid +
Capsule width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Common name
Bitter or racemed milkwort +  and polygale polygame +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Crest pubescence
glabrous +
Crest shape
2-parted +
Distribution
N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Conn. +, Del. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Ky. +, La. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Tex. +, Vt. +, Va. +, W.Va. +  and Wis. +
Elevation
0–300 m. +
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
whitish +, usually pink +  and pale-purple +
Flower coloration or density
purple +
Flower location
in proximal leaf-axils +  and subterranean +
Flower presence
absent +
Flower quantity
fewer +
Flower reproduction
cleistogamous +
Flower some measurement
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 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
Sandy meadows, savannas, bogs, sandhills, flatwoods, dry hammocks, floodplain swamps, open roadsides, clear-cuts, granite outcrops, coastal dunes. +
Herb architecture
branched +  and unbranched +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb arrangement
cluster +
Herb atypical some measurement
3dm (5dm) +
Herb duration
biennial +, perennial +  and short-lived +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
1.5dm (3dm) +
Illustration
Present +
Inflorescence position or structure subtype
terminal +
Keel atypical some measurement
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Keel shape
crested +
Keel some measurement
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 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
subsessile +  and sessile +
Leaf arrangement
opposite +, subopposite +  and alternate +
Leaf position
cauline +  and basal +
Leaf presence
absent +
Leaf variability
uniform +
Lobe length
1/3 length of seed (3/4 length of seed) +
Lobe quantity
2 (?) +
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 coloration
white +  and pink +
Margin position
leaf-opposed +, axillary +  and terminal +
Margin pubescence
glabrous +, ciliolate +  and ciliate +
Number of lower taxa
0 +
Outer sepal quantity
1 +  and 3 +
Outer sepal some measurement
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
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
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Phenology
Flowering spring–mid summer. +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Proximal leaf-axil condition
later +
Publication title
Fl. Carol., +
Publication year
1788 +
Raceme architecture
open +
Raceme atypical length
10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
Raceme length
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
Raceme shape
elongate +  and cylindric +
Raceme width
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
Reference
None +
Region shape
petiolelike +
Region size or width
narrow +
Rootstock coloration
usually brownish +  and whitish +
Rootstock relief
exfoliating +
Scale atypical length
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
Scale atypical width
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Scale length
15mm (30mm) +
Scale shape
elliptic +  and oblanceolate +
Scale width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Seed architecture
arillate +
Seed architecture or pubescence or relief
smooth +
Seed coloration
blackish +
Seed pubescence
usually densely short-pubescent +  and subglabrous +
Seed quantity
1 +
Seed shape
ellipsoid +
Seed some measurement
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 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
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 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
sprawling +
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 aboriginum +  and P. polygama var. obtusata +
Taxon family
Polygalaceae +
Taxon name
Polygala polygama +
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 /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 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
1.6mm;2.7mm +