Polygala polygama and P. paucifiora. 137 
so-called Flowering Wintergreen. In appearance and habitat 
it differs much from P. folygama. Described by Willdenow 
in 1800, references to it in literature have been even more 
scanty than in the former case. 
Polygala paucifolia occurs throughout New England, the 
Blue Mountains, and the Alleghenies, flowering in Pennsyl- 
vania, in the middle and latter part of May. Its vegetative 
appearance strikingly suggests that of Gaultheria procumbens, 
hence the name Flowering Wintergreen. 
From long slender rhizomes which run through the humus, 
arise at intervals upright shoots 5-8 inches high, and bearing 
at their summits 3-7 leaves. The rhizomes grow and branch 
abundantly, so that the plant generally appears in patches. 
At the tips of the upright shoots are borne the showy flowers, 
which are much larger than those of P. polygama, being in 
fact by far the largest and most beautiful of our native 
Polygalas. They average nearly 2c.m.inlength. Only two 
or three are borne on each vegetative axis, and apparently 
terminate it. We may now consider the several parts of the 
flower. 
A. CHASMOGAMIC FLOWER. 
Calyx.—This differs from that of most of our native species 
in being deciduous. This tendency is most marked in the 
large wings which, properly speaking, are caducous. The 
three outer remaining sepals are relatively small, greenish 
white and inconspicuous. The posterior of these is about 
twice the size of the other two, forming a protective shield for 
the nectary. Stomata are plentiful on all three. The wings 
are nearly or quite the length of the corolla (2 cm), 
petaloid, light purple, and remain only for a short time widely 
expanded, falling before the other floral parts. Stomata 
are present on these also as in the other species, their petaloid 
character notwithstanding. 
