Polygala polygama Walter

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Polygalaceae

• Scientific Name

  Polygala polygama Walter

• Description

  Species Description - Biennial; stems clustered, decumbent, glabrous, 1–2.5 dm, simple at anthesis, later sparingly branched; lowest lvs spatulate to obovate, 1 cm; cauline lvs linear- oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, 1–3 cm × 2–7 mm, obtuse to subacute; raceme loose and open, 2–10 cm; fls rose-purple to white; wings obovate, 4–6 mm, exceeding the cor; cleistogamous fls secund in slender subterranean racemes; 2n=56. Dry, usually sandy soil; Me. to Mich. and Minn., s. to N.J., w. Va., O., Ind., and Io.; also along the coastal plain from e. Va. to Fla. and Tex. The northern plants have a slightly denser raceme than the southern and are often distinguished as var. obtusata Chodat.

• Common Names

  bitter milkwort