448 



POLYGALACEAE. 



Vol. II. 



4. Polygala cruciata L. Cross-leaved or Marsh Milkwort. Fig. 2698. 



Poly gala cruciata L. Sp. PI. 706. 1753. 



P. Torreyi Chodat, Mem. Mus. Gen. 31- : 194. 1893. 



Annual, erect, glabrous, 4'-l6' high, at length 



freely branching above; stem square or slightly 



wing-angled. Basal leaves none; those of the stem 



and branches verticillate in 4's, or a few of them 



scattered, linear or oblanceolate, i'-ij' long, i"-2" 



wide, entire, obtuse, mucronulate, the lower smaller; 



spike-like racemes oval, obtuse, 4"-9" thick, sessile 



or sbort-peduncled; pedicels slender, ih"-2" long; 



bracts persistent; flowers purple, greenish or white; 



wings triangular-ovate, sessile, somewhat cordate. 



acute, acuminate or awn-pointed, iV's" long, much 



exceeding the pods; crest of the corolla minute; 



seed oblong, slightly hairy, about equalling the 



caruncle. 



In sandy swamps. Maine to Florida : Michigan to Min- 

 nesota. Nebrasl^a and Louisiana. Drumheads. July- 

 Sept. 



5. Polygala brevifolia Xutt. Short-leaved 

 ^Milkwort. Fig. 2699. 



Polygala brevifolia- Kult. Gen. 2: 89. 1818. 



Resembling the preceding species, but is lower, 

 more slender and w'eaker. Leaves shorter, often 

 scattered on the branches and upper part of the stem ; 

 spikes smaller (3"-5" thick), on slender peduncles; 

 wings ovate or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse or mucronu- 

 late. 



In sandy swamps, coast of Rhode Island to Florida 

 and Mississippi. Summer. 



6. Polygala verticillata L. W'horled Milk- 

 wort. Fig. 2700. 



Polygala verticillata L. Sp. PI. 706. 1753. 



Annual, glabrous, very slender, 6'-i2' high, 

 usually branched, the branches often opposite. 

 Basal leaves none ; stem-leaves linear, 3"-is" 

 long, i"-2" wide ; acute, entire, punctate, mucron- 

 ulate, mostly verticillate in 4's or 5's, with some 

 scattered ones on the stem or branches; spikes 

 conic, long-peduncled, acute, 2" thick at the base, 

 very dense, 4"-io" long; flowers greenish or pur- 

 plish; pedicels about i" long; wings broadly oval, 

 distinctly clawed, shorter than the pod ; crest of 

 the corolla manifest; seed oblong, hairy, twice 

 the length of the caruncle ; bracts deciduous. 



In dry or moist soil, mostly in fields, southern 

 Quebec and Ontario to Minnesota. Saskatchewan. 

 Nebraska. Florida and Mexico. Ascends to 2.500 ft. 

 in Virginia. June-Nov. 



