familyPolygalaceae
genusPolygala
speciesPolygala smallii

Polygala smallii

R. R. Smith & D. B. Ward

Sida 6: 307. 1976.

J. Richard Abbott
Common names: Tiny or Small’s milkwort
Basionym: Polygalaarenicola small Bull. New York Bot. Gard. 3: 426. 1905
Synonyms: Pilostaxis arenicola Small
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.

Herbs biennial, usually single-stemmed, rarely multistemmed, 0.2–0.5 (–0.8) dm, unbranched; from taproot or fibrous-root cluster. Stems erect, glabrous. Leaves with persistent basal rosette, clustered and irregular, crowded; alternate; sessile or subsessile with narrowed petiolelike region to 5 (–10) mm (usually obscured by tightly clustered leaves); blade oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, 10–42 × 2–14 mm, succulent, base cuneate, apex usually rounded to obtuse, rarely acute, sometimes apiculate, surfaces glabrous. Racemes capitate, 0.4–3 × 0.5–1.8 cm; peduncle 0.5–5 cm; bracts deciduous, often tardily so, linear-subulate. Pedicels winged, 0.4–0.8 mm, glabrous. Flowers green or greenish yellow, 4.5–6 (–8) mm; sepals decurrent on pedicel, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, (2–) 3–5 mm, sometimes ciliolate; wings usually lanceolate, sometimes oblong-lanceolate, 4–6 (–8) × 1–2 mm, apex long-acuminate, sometimes slightly involute, tip 0.5–0.9 mm; keel (3.5–) 4 (–5.5) mm, crest 2-parted, with 3 2-fid or entire lobes on each side; stamens 6–8. Capsules broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, 1.6–2 × 1.2–1.6 mm, margins not winged. Seeds 1.9–2.3 mm, pubescent; aril 0.9–1.6 mm, lobes 1/2 to ± equal length of seed. 2n = 64, 68.


Phenology: Flowering spring (year-round).
Habitat: Pinelands.
Elevation: 0–50 m.

Distribution

Fla.

Discussion

Polygala smallii is known from Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties.

Compared to Polygala nana, the most similar species, P. smallii is smaller and more compact (stems and inflorescences are shorter and almost always surpassed by the tightly clustered leaves), leaves are narrower with a less conspicuously narrowed petiole­like portion (less obviously spatulate), wing sepals are more strongly lanceolate (tapering more to the apex, whereas P. nana wings typically are more elliptic or oblong-lanceolate), flowers are much greener at anthesis, and seeds are longer.

Polygala smallii is in the Center for Plant Conser­vation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Polygala smallii"
RDF feed
2n chromosome quantity
68 +  and 64 +
Anther dehiscence
dehiscent +
Anther fixation
basifixed +
Apex architecture or shape
apiculate +
Apex shape
long-acuminate +, acute +, usually rounded +  and obtuse +
Apex shape or vernation
involute +
Aril some measurement
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
Author
J. Richard Abbott +
Authority
R. R. Smith & D. B. Ward +
Basal rosette duration
persistent +
Base shape
cuneate +
Basionyms
Polygalaarenicola small +
Blade architecture
veined +
Blade coloration or relief
punctate +
Blade growth form
dimorphic +
Blade length
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4.2 cm42 mm <br />0.042 m <br />) +
Blade position or structure subtype
secondary +
Blade prominence
obscure +
Blade shape
oblanceolate +  and linear-oblanceolate +
Blade size
uniform +
Blade surface pubescence
pubescent +  and glabrous +
Blade texture
succulent +
Blade width
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1.4 cm14 mm <br />0.014 m <br />) +
Bract duration
deciduous +
Bract quantity
1 +
Bract shape
linear-subulate +
Bracteole presence
absent +
Capsule length
0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
Capsule shape
broadly ellipsoid +  and subglobose +
Capsule width
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
Common name
Tiny or Small’s milkwort +
Corymb arrangement
fascicles +
Corymb size
reduced +
Crest pubescence
glabrous +
Crest shape
2-parted +
Distribution
Fla. +
Elevation
0–50 m. +
Filament fusion
connate +
Flower architecture
sessile +  and pedicellate +
Flower architecture or shape
symmetric +
Flower arrangement
not grouped +
Flower atypical some measurement
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Flower coloration
greenish yellow +  and green +
Flower coloration or density
purple +
Flower location
in proximal leaf-axils +  and subterranean +
Flower quantity
fewer +
Flower reproduction
cleistogamous +  and chasmogamous +
Flower some measurement
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 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
Pinelands. +
Herb architecture
unbranched +  and single-stemmed +
Herb architecture or growth form
multistemmed +
Herb arrangement
cluster +
Herb atypical some measurement
0.5dm (0.8dm) +
Herb duration
biennial +
Herb quantity
single +
Herb some measurement
0.2dm (0.5dm) +
Inflorescence position or structure subtype
terminal +
Keel atypical some measurement
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.55 cm5.5 mm <br />0.0055 m <br />) +
Keel shape
crested +
Keel some measurement
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 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 architecture or course
irregular +
Leaf arrangement
alternate +  and crowded +
Leaf arrangement or growth form
clustered +
Leaf position
cauline +  and basal +
Leaf presence
absent +
Leaf variability
uniform +
Lobe quantity
1/2 (?) +
Lobe shape
entire +  and 3-2-fid +
Lobe variability
equal +
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
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br />) +
Peduncle presence
absent +
Peduncle some measurement
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br />) +
Petal quantity
3 +
Phenology
Flowering spring (year-round). +
Pistil architecture
syncarpous +  and 2[-8]-carpellate +
Publication title
Sida +
Publication year
1976 +
Raceme architecture
interrupted +
Raceme architecture or shape
capitate +
Raceme length
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
Raceme width
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
Reference
None +
Region atypical some measurement
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
Region shape
petiolelike +  and narrowed +
Region some measurement
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
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
0.19 cm1.9 mm <br />0.0019 m <br /> (0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br />) +
Seeds coat architecture
arillate +
Seeds coat pubescence
pubescent +
Sepal arrangement
imbricate +
Sepal atypical some measurement
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Sepal duration
persistent +
Sepal pubescence
ciliolate +
Sepal quantity
5 +
Sepal shape
narrowly ovate +  and lanceolate +
Sepal size
unequal +
Sepal some measurement
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 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
6 +  and 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
Pilostaxis arenicola +
Taxon family
Polygalaceae +
Taxon name
Polygala smallii +
Taxon parent
Polygala +
Taxon rank
species +
Tip some measurement
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br />) +
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 length
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
Wing duration
persistent +
Wing length
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Wing pubescence
glabrous +
Wing shape
oblong-lanceolate +  and lanceolate +
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 +