Polygalaceae
Polygala

Polygala nyikensis Exell

First published in Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2, 31: 10 (1957)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SW. Tanzania to Zambia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Polygalaceae, Jorge Paiva. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2007

Type
Type: Malawi, Nyika Plateau, Benson 1392 (BM!, holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, prostrate herb
Morphology Stem
Stems spreading from a woody rootstock, 5–20 cm long, branched, crisped-pubescent
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, shortly petiolate (petiole 0.5–1 mm), narrowly oblong-elliptic, 5–25 × 2–6 mm, obtuse to acute and mucronulate, base cuneate, ± pubescent when young but soon becoming glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pale mauve or magenta, in somewhat congested terminal racemes 2–5 cm long; bracts lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm long, subacute, persistent; bracteoles lanceolate, 1.2–1.8(–2) mm long, persistent; pedicels 3–5 mm, slender
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Posterior sepal keel-shaped, 3–3.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm; wing sepals obliquely elliptic, 6–7 × 4.5–5 mm, glabrous; anterior sepals keel-shaped, 2.5 × 1.5 mm, free
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Upper petals broadly falcate, 4.5–5.5 × 1.5–2.5 mm; carina 6–6.5 mm long; crest 2.5 mm long, fimbriate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule suborbicular in outline, 5.5–6 × 4.5–5 mm, narrowly winged (wing 0.2 mm wide), slightly pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ellipsoid, 3–3.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm, white sericeous; caruncle symmetric, kidney-shaped, with three short appendages 0.7 mm long
Ecology
Upland grassland; no altitude given (elsewhere 1300–2500 m)
Distribution
Range: Zambia and Malawi Flora districts: T7
[FTEA]

Polygalaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Perennial with short, crisped-pubescent stems, 6–14 cm. tall, produced annually from a woody rootstock.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 5–22 x 2–6 mm., very narrowly to narrowly elliptic-oblong, somewhat pubescent when young but soon becoming glabrous, apex obtuse to acute, mucronulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers magenta or pale mauve, pedicels up to 5 mm. long, in short, somewhat congested, terminal racemes 2–5 cm. long, bracts and bracteoles 1.5–2 mm. long, persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Posterior sepal 3 mm. long; wing sepals 6–7 x 4.5–5 mm., obliquely elliptic, glabrous; anterior sepals 2.5 mm. long, free.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Upper petals 5.5 x 3 mm., broadly falcate; carina 6 x 3 mm., crest 2.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 1.5 x 1.2 mm., obovate in outline, style 5.5–6 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 5.5 x 4.5 mm., suborbicular, slightly pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed 3 x 1.5 mm., ellipsoid, sericeous; caruncular appendages 0.7 mm. long.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0