POLYGALACE.E. (MILKWORT FAMILY.) 91 



* * * Spilces solitary : leaves ichorled : Jiowers purple. 



15. P. eruciata, L. Stem erect, 4-angled, simple or branched; leaves 

 in fours, linear or oblong-linear, thick, obtuse, the upper ones alternate ; 

 spikes large, ovate, becoming cylindrical, short-peduncled ; wings ovate, 

 tapering into a long subulate point ; lobes of the caruncle linear, collat- 

 eral, as long as tlie smoothish oval seed. — Pine barren swamps. July - Oct. 



— Stem 6' -12' high. Spikes 1'- 2' long, f thick. Flowers pale rose-color. 

 Bracts persistent. 



16. P, brevifolia, Nutt. Stem weak, 4-angled, with long and spreading- 

 branches ; leaves thin, lanceolate or linear, acute, the lower ones in fours ; 

 spikes small, ovate, long-peduucled ; wings lanceolate-ovate, barely pointed ; 

 caruncle as long as the obovate hairy seed. — Bogs, in the lower districts. 

 July -Oct. — Stem 1°-1^° long. Spikes scarcely lialf as large as in the 

 preceding. Flowers reddish purple. Bracts persistent. 



17. P. Hookeri, Torr. & Gray. Stems short, weak, much branched, 4- 

 angled ; leaves in fours, short, linear, acutish ; spikes long-ped uncled, ovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, loose-flowered ; wings erect, lanceolate-ovate, acute ; 

 caruncle as long as the ovoid sparse-hairy and viscid seed. — Low grassy pine 

 barrens. West Florida and westward. July -Sept. — Stems 6' -10' high. 

 Leaves 4" - 6" long ; Flowers pale rose-color. Bracts persistent. 



§ 2. Flowers in slender racemes or spikes. 

 * Leaves alternate. 



18. P, grandiflora, Walt. Pubescent; stems branching; leaves lanceo- 

 late ; flowers large, crestless, scattered in long racemes ; fruiting pedicels 

 drooping ; wings large, orbicular, erect ; caruncle enclosing the stalk of the 

 oblong hair}' seed. — Varies with smoothish linear leaves, and smaller flowers. 



— Dry light soil, Florida to South Carolina, and westward. July - Sept. % — 

 Stem 1° high. Racemes 3'- 6' long, often lateral by the prolongation of the 

 stem. Flowers bright purple, turning greenish. 



19. P. polygama, W^alt. Smooth; stems numerous, simple; leaves 

 oblong-lLnear, the lowest spatulate or obovate ; flowers of two kinds, one kind 

 showy and perfect, borne in a loose terminal raceme, the other imperfect, 

 but fruiting, in radical (rarely axillary) spikes; wings obovate; caruncle 

 half as long as the obovate very hairy seed. — Wet or dry sandy barrens, 

 May -June. (2) — Stems 6'- 12' high, very leafy. Racemes 2' -6' long. 

 Flowers purple. 



20. P. Senega, L. (Seneca Snakeroot.) Stems several from a thick 

 woody root, erect or ascending, simple, or branching above ; leaves numerous, 

 lanceolate, the upper ones acute (1' long); spike cylindrical, peduncled; 

 wings round obovate, as long as the capsule ; lobes of the caruncle linear, as 

 long as the obovate hairy seed. — Var. latifolia, Torr. & Gray. Stem 

 taller (1°-1|°); leaves large (2' -4' long), ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute 

 or acuminate at each end. — Dry rocky woods in the upper districts; the 

 variety in Tennessee. May -June. 11 — Stems 8'- 12' high. Spikes 1'- 

 1 .3' long. Flowers greenish white. 



