The Box-Leaved Milkwort 



(POLTGALA CHAMJEBUXm) 



The Box-leaved Milkwort is a shrubby mountain plant with 

 a woody branching stem and leathery evergreen leaves, which 

 resemble those of the common box but are somewhat thicker. 

 The flowers occur singly or in pairs in the axils of the upper 

 leaves. They consist of a boat-shaped corolla of a pale 

 yellow colour, which becomes darker towards the tip, and two 

 wing-like appendages, which look like petals but are really 

 sepals. These are usually white but are sometimes purple red. 

 It is stated that their colour is determined by the soil on which 

 the plant grows and is white or pure slate ; on calcareous, 

 slate coloured. 



The Box-leaved Milkwort is widely distributed in 

 Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, between 1500 and 7000 

 feet, and grows on wooded hills and in dry rocky places, 

 where it is often extremely abundant. It flowers from May 

 till the end of August. The plant is quite distinctive and 

 will be readily recognised. Although belonging to the 

 Milkwort tribe it is quite different from all other species, 

 which have red, white or blue, never yellow, flowers and 

 deciduous, not evergreen, leaves. 



The Common Milkwort {Polygala vulgaris) of our English 

 downs and heaths is also found in the Alps. It is a small 

 herbaceous plant with a slender stem, perhaps three or four 



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