POLYGALACEAE 687 



cm. long, acute, the lower ones sometimes oblanceolate, apparently whorled : racemes spike- 

 like, narrowly conic, 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 h 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 J-f 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 Territory. Summer. 



21. Polygala verticillata 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 J as long as the'seed-body. 



In dry soil, Quebec to Maine and Manitoba, Florida and Mexico. Spring to fall. 



22. Polygala Mariana INIill. 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 : I'acemes 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 Nuttdllii 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 

 Avith 2 caruncle-lobes about ^ as long as the seed-body. 



In poor soil, Massachusetts to Missouri, North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas. Summer. 



24. Polygala virid^scens 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 processes : stamens 8 : style auricled at the almost 

 sessile stigma, prolonged into a curved tufted appendage : capsule suborbicular, about 2 



