POLYGALACEiE. 



50 POLTGALA. 



of animals. Cal. inferior, 3 outer leaves smaller, ovate ; petals united to the 

 fil. by their claws. The limb of tlie upper partly divided, liie lower keel- 

 shaped, generally crowned with a crested appendage. Fil. united at the base, 

 divided above into 2 sets. Seeds 1 in each cell. 



1. P. paucifo'lia. 



Stem simple, erect, naked below ; haves ovate, acute, smooth ; terminal 

 flowers laro-e, crested, radical, apterous. A small handsome plant, with a 

 few ratlierlarn-e i)uri)le iiowers. Native of woods and swamps. Stem ',i or 4 

 inches hioh,wTtli its acute leaves mostly near the top, 2 — 4 flowers above them. 

 Calyx of 5 leaves, the upper one gibbous at base. Corolla mostly purple ; 

 with a purple crest on its middle lobe. The radical flowers are either close 

 to the ground, or subterraneous, smaller, greenish, wanting the wings of the 

 calyx. "May. Per. Fringed Poly gala. 



2. P. POLY'GAMA. IVr. P. rubella. Mk. 

 Stems simple, numerous ; leaves linear, oblong, mucronate, alternate below; 



racemes terminal and lateral; flowers sessile, those of the stem winged, 

 those of the root apterous. A plant of a bitter taste, used in niedicme as a 

 tonic, found in fields and pastures. Steins crowded, many from the same 

 root, angular, smooth. Leaves smooth, lower obovate, upper linear-lanceolate, 

 obtuse, sessile. Flowers crested, purple, smaller than the last. Wings of the 

 calyx obtuse. Anthers 8, in 2 equal parcels. Bracts small, subulate, cadu- 

 cous. Terminal racemes with perfect flowers, radical racemes prostrate, or 

 subterraneous, wincrless and nearly apetaious. Jn., Jl. Per. 



Bitter Pohjgala. 



3. P. PURPU'rEA. .v. p. sanguinea. Mx. 

 6Ye7?i branching at the top; leaves linear, alternate ; powers beardless, in 



alternate, oblong^spikes; calycine wings obovate. An erect plant C— 12 inch- 

 es hich, found in meadows and wet grounds, and known at once by its short, 

 reddish' cylindric spikes of flowers. Stem angular, with fastigiate branches, 

 each ending in a smaller spike than that of the main stem, but rising above it 

 in hitrht. Flowers purple, caducous. Jl.— Oct. Ann. Caducous Folijgala. 



4. P. se'nega 



wards 



medicine, saiu lu niivc uccu cmj^.i/jrv-u ^j ^.^ .^^..^ — .. — - — 



to the bite of the rattle-snake. The root is woody, branched, contorted, about 

 half an inch thick, covered with ash colored bark. Stems about a foot high, 

 with numerous, scattered, subsessile, lanceolate leaves. Flowers while, in a 

 lontr, filiform spike. Calyx larger than the corolla, 5-leaved, colored. The 

 roor'has at fiist'a sweetish and nauseous taste, which soon becomes pungent 

 and hot, producing a peculiar tingling sensation. Jl. Per. Seneca Siialu- Rout. 



5. P. verticilla'ta. 



Stem branched, erect; leaves linear, verticillate; spikes linear, stalked; floirers 

 alternate, crested ; calycine wings roundish. Found on dry hills. Stem very 

 slender, square, G— 8 inches high. Leaves in whorls of 5 or C. Flowers small, 

 greenish white, in very slender spikes, which are higher upon the branches 

 than upon the main stem. Jl.— Oct. Ann. Wlwrlcd-leaved Pohjgala. 



6. p. crucia'ta. 



Stem erect, somewhat fastigiate, winged at the angles ; leaves in 4s, linear- 

 lanceolate ; hds. of flowers spiked, sessile. Sphagnous swamps and other low 



