Polygalaceae
Polygala

Polygala persicariifolia DC.

First published in Prodr. 1: 326 (1824)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa, Tropical & Subtropical Asia to N. Australia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual up to 60 cm. or more tall; stems slender, often arcuate-ascending, crisped-pubescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2–8 x 0.5–2 cm., elliptic to very narrowly elliptic, somewhat acuminate, with rather sparse, short, bristly hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish, pink or purplish, pedicels 3–4 mm. long, in many-flowered, terminal and lateral racemes up to 10 cm. long; rhachis crisped-pubescent; bracts 1.5–2 mm. long; bracteoles up to 0.8 mm. long, persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Posterior sepal 3–3.5 mm. long, keel-shaped; wing sepals 5–7 x 3.5–6 mm., very broadly elliptic to suborbicular with rather prominent venation, glabrous; anterior sepals 2.5–3 mm. long, free, keel-shaped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Upper petals 3 mm. long, obliquely and irregularly elliptic, notched on one side; carina 4 x 1.5 mm., crest 1.5 mm. long, purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 5 x 4.5 mm., very broadly elliptic to suborbicular in outline, ciliate on the margin, with a narrow wing less than 0.5 mm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 3 x 1.5 mm., oblong-ellipsoid, with white silky hairs; caruncular appendages scarcely developed.
[FZ]

Polygalaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, to 31/2 ft. high
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Lateral sepals magenta
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla magenta.
[FWTA]

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

Type
Type: Nepal, Wallich s.n. (G-DC!, holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, up to 125 cm tall
Morphology Stem
Stems slender, simple or ± branched, crispedpubescent to glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, petiolate (petiole 1–2 mm, crispedpubescent), lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, (20–)25–80 × 5–30 mm, acuminate, base cuneate, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish white, pink, mauve to pale purple, in terminal and lateral racemes 3–12 cm long, rachis crisped-pubescent; bracts lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm long, persistent, bracteoles lanceolate, 0.5–1 mm long, persistent; pedicels 3–5 mm, usually crisped-pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Posterior sepal keel-shaped, 3–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, glabrescent or ciliate; wing sepals obliquely suborbicular-ovate to broadly elliptic, 5–8 × (3.5–)4–6 mm, with prominent venation, glabrous or ciliate; anterior sepals keel-shaped, 2.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm, glabrescent or ciliate, free
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Upper petals obliquely and irregularly elliptic, 2.5–4 × 1.5 mm, notched on one side; carina 4–6 × 1.5 mm; crest 2–3 mm long, fimbriate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule broadly-elliptic to suborbicular in outline, 5–7 × 4–5.5 mm, winged, wing up to 0.5 mm wide, ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ellipsoid, 3–3.5 × 1.5 mm, with white silky hairs 0.2 mm long; caruncle subsymmetric, kidney-shaped, with three small appendages
Figures
Fig 6: 4, p 13
Ecology
Wooded grassland, grassland; 750–2100 m
Distribution
Range: Widespread throughout tropical Asia and tropical Africa Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K3 K5 T1 T4 T6 T7 T8
[FTEA]

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

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical 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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images