POLYGALACEAE 687 
cm. long, acute, the lower ones sometimes oblanceolate, apparently whorled : racemes spike- 
like, narrowly conie, 4-6 mm. thick, long-peduncled, the rachis 2-5 cm. long: pedicels 
0.5-1 mm. long, the bracts deciduous: flowers white: wings oval or obovate, 2-3 mm. 
long, obtuse : keel with a fimbriate crest : stamens 8 : style short, auricled above the middle 
and above the stalked stigma, prolonged into a filiform, minutely tufted appendage: cap- 
sule ovoid, 2-3 mm. long: seeds strigose, the 2 lobes of the caruncle about 4 as long as 
the seed-body. 
In dry soil, Minnesota to Kansas, Texas, Arizona and Mexico. Spring and summer. 
19. Polygala leptostachys Shuttlw. Annual, very slender, glabrous. Stems erect, 
wire-like, or filiform, 1-5 dm. tall, solitary, simple or sparingly branched: leaves few, in 
distant whorls of 4’s or 5’s; blades linear-subulate or filiform, 0.5-2 cm. long, acute: 
racemes spike-like, slender-pediceled, 2-4 mm. thick at the base, narrowly conic, the 
rachis 1-5 cm. long: pedicels very short, their bracts deciduous: flowers greenish : wings 
oval, nearly 2 mm. long, obtuse: keel crested with a few short processes: stamens 8: style 
minute, hooded above and auricled on either side of the stalked stigma, the short append- 
age tufted : capsule about 2 mm. long : seeds glabrous or pubescent at the apex, the 2 lobes 
of the caruncle 3-$ as long as the seed-body. 
On dry sand hills, Florida. Spring to summer. 
20. Polygala ambigua Nutt. Annual, very slender, glabrous. Stems erect, wire- 
like, 1-3 dm. tall, simple or sparingly branched above; branches not spreading: leaves 
prevailingly alternate ; blades linear, 0.5-1.5 cm. long, the lower ones sometimes whorled, 
acute, sessile : racemes spike-like, 3-5 mm. thick, narrowly conic, often interrupted below, 
long-peduncled, the rachis 1-8 cm. long : pedicels 0.5-1 mm. long, their bracts deciduous : 
flowers purplish or greenish purple: wings suborbicular, nearly 1.5 mm. long, obtuse, at 
least 3-nerved : capsule suborbicular, fully 1.5 mm. long, surpassing the wings: seeds 
pubescent. 
In dry soil, Maine to Missouri, Georgia, Louisiana and the Indian Territorr. Summer. 
21. Polygala verticillàta L. Annual, slender, glabrous. Stems 5-30 cm. tall, 
angled, sometimes short with many alternate or whorled spreading branches or long and 
slender with ascending or erect branches: leaves usually in whorls of 4's or 5's, or some- 
times alternate ; blades linear to linear-lanceolate, 1-3 cm. long, acute : racemes spike-like, 
3-6 mm. thick, narrowly conic, sessile or slender-peduncled, the rachis 0.5-6 cm. long: 
pedicels about 5 mm. long, their bracts deciduous: flowers greenish or greenish white : 
wings ovate, about 1 mm. long, nerveless: keel crested with several thick processes: cap- 
sule about 2 mm. long, barely surpassing the wings: seeds pubescent or rarely glabrous, 
the 2 lobes of the caruncle about 4 as long as the'seed-body. 
In dry soil, Quebec to Maine and Manitoba, Florida and Mexico. Spring to fall. 
22. Polygala Mariàna Mill. Annual, deep green, glabrous. Stems erect, 1-5 dm. 
tall, slender, simple or branching above: leaves alternate ; blades linear, 0.4—1.7 cm. long, 
often erect, acute or cuspidate, often much reduced above: racemes cylindric-ovoid, or 
subglobose, 6-10 mm. thick, peduncled : pedicels slender, 1-3 mm. long, their bracts de- 
ciduous: flowers pink: wings ovate to elliptic, about 3 mm. long, 5-nerved, the midnerve 
thickened at the apex: keel crested with a few short blunt, or 2-cleft processes : stamens 
8: style slender, auricled above the sessile stigma, prolonged into a curved, tufted append- 
age: capsule turgid: seeds with a long neck, apiculate at the larger end, pubescent, 
the 2 lobes of the caruncle embracing the smaller end of the seed-body. 
In low pine lands, Delaware to Florida and Texas. Summer to fall. 
_, 23. Polygala Nuttallii T. & G. Resembling P. Mariana. Stems 1-2.5 dm. tall, 
with few upright branches : leaves alternate ; blades spatulate to almost linear, 5-10 mm. 
long, the upper much narrower than the lower: racemes cylindric, 4-6 mm. thick, obtuse 
or acutish, peduncled : corolla purplish or greenish white, about 2 mm. long: wings elliptic- 
lanceolate, about 2 mm. long, acutish : capsule broader than long: seeds pubescent, each 
with 2 caruncle-lobes about } as long as the seed-body. 
In poor soil, Massachusetts to Missouri, North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas. Summer. 
24. Polygala viridéscens L. Annual, bright green, glabrous. Stems erect, 1-5 
dm. tall, angled, simple or branching above: leaves alternate; blades linear to linear- 
oblong, 1-3 dm. long, acute or cuspidate, sessile : racemes ovoid or subglobose, 8-12 mm. 
thick, blunt, short-peduncled : pedicels slender, 1-2 mm. long, their lanceolate bracts per- 
sistent : flowers reddish purple, green or white: wings broadly ovate, 3-6 mm. long, about 
9-nerved, imbricated, the midnerve thickened above the middle, usually prolonged into a 
mucro: keel crested with a few thick processcs: stamens 8: style auricled at the almost 
sessile stigma, prolonged into a curved tufted appendage: capsule suborbicular, about 2 
