Poly gala polygania and P. paticiflora. 137 



so-called Flowering Wintergreen. In appearance and habitat 

 it differs much from P. polygania. Described by Willdenow 

 in 1800, references to it in literature have been even more 

 scanty than in the former case. 



Polygala paticifolia occurs throughout New England, the 

 Blue Mountains, and the AUeghenies, flowering in Pennsyl- 

 vania, in the middle and latter part of May. Its vegetative 

 appearance strikingly suggests that of Gaultlicria procunibcns, 

 hence the name Flowering Wintergreen. 



From long slender rhizomes which run through the humus, 

 arise at intervals upright shoots 5-8 inches high, and bearing 

 at their summits 3-7 leaves. The rhizomes grow and branch 

 abundantly, so that the plant generally appears in patches. 

 At the tips of the upright shoots are borne the showy flowers, 

 which are much larger than those of P. polygania, being in 

 fact by far the largest and most beautiful of our native 

 Polygalas. They average nearly 2 cm. in length. Only two 

 or three are borne on each vegetative axis, and apparently 

 terminate it. We may now consider the several parts of the 

 flower. 



A. Chasmogamic Flower. 



Calyx. — This differs from that of most of our native species 

 in being deciduous. This tendency is most marked in the 

 large wings which, properly speaking, are caducous. The 

 three outer remaining sepals are relatively small, greenish 

 white and inconspicuous. The posterior of these is about 

 twice the size of the other two, forming a protective shield for 

 the nectary. Stomata are plentiful on all three. The wings 

 are nearly or quite the length of the corolla (2 cm.), 

 petaloid, light purple, and remain only for a short time widely 

 expanded, falling before the other floral parts. Stomata 

 are present on these also as in the other species, their petaloid 

 character notwithstanding. 



