Hiptagb,] U.MAL~PIGBIACE&. [I. Polygala. 



2f" and showy whire flowers with one yellow petal in 

 axillary pubescent racemes or leaf y panciles. 



Santal Parganahs iu ravines (Morjhora, Sahebganj, etc.). 



Fl. Feb.-March. Fr. May. Evergreen. 



Branches pale. Leaves shining penninerved with 4-6 prs. arched secy, 

 nerves and numerous very faint intermediate, base obtuse. Petiole %'. 

 Flowers f-1" across. Pet. fimbriate. Each carpel in fruit with one large 

 central erect wing and two smaller lateral. 



Fam, 35. POLYGALACEiE, 



1, Polygala, L. 



Herbs or undershrubs with small alt, simple entire 

 exstipulate leaves and irregular small green or coloured 

 flowers. Sep. 5 of which the 2 inner are much larger than 

 the others and are called wings, they are often coloured. 

 Pet. 3 one forming a lip and often crested. St, 8 more or 

 less united into a split sheath. Ovary 2-celled. Oapsule 

 usually herbaceous or membranous, flattened and 2- seeded. 

 Seeds usually strophiolate. 



1. P. glomerata, Lour. 



A twiggy undershrub 1-2 ft. high with pubescent branches, ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate sub-distichous leaves 1-lf" rarely 2'' by J f" and green- 

 ish inconspicuous flowers in extra-axiilary racemes $-£'' long. 



Valleys in the.Latua forest under shade, very rare, bat locally abund- 

 ant. 



Fl. Dec- Jany. ur. Jan.-Fel. Deciduous in the hot weather. 



L, ciliate and somewhat hairy both sides acute with rounded base and 

 3-5~prs. fine rather obscure sec. n. Petiole pubescent -jV' Bacetr»e 

 pubescent close flowered. Calyx persistent, wings \'' by T y falcately- 

 oblong apiculate vith narrow scarious margins, nearly \' r m fr. ciliate. 

 Pet white oblong with a small scale near base, lip % * sub-saooate with 

 small fimbriate crest Ovary pubescent; on margin. Capsule obcordate. 

 Seeds with 3-lobed stronhiole silky. 



Several herbaceous species are common. P. chinensis L. Gaighura, 

 8. is a branched herb 3-10" wilh oblong, oblanc. or obovate L. £-1^* 

 and greenish fls. in short sub-capitate racemes or sub-solitary. The root 

 is given in fever. Common in grassy ground. F1-, Fr, chiefly August. 



264 



