POLYGALA 



POLYGONATUM 



2739 



typical form is advertised in S. Calif., but in Eu. 

 probably the only form cult, is var. speciosa, Harv. 

 (P. speciosa, Sims). Glabrous: lower Ivs. obovate or 

 cuneate, upper more linear, all obtuse: raceme long and 

 lax: bracts soon deciduous. S. Afr. B.M. 1780. L.B.C. 

 7:621. B.R. 150. B. 1:43. 



9. apopetala, T. S. Brandeg. Frutescent, 2-3 ft. 

 high: branches slender, pubescent: Ivs. knceolate, 

 entire, obtuse, alternate, remote, short-petioled, nearly 

 glabrous: fls. large, pink, on slender pedicels ^in. or 

 more long; sepals 4, the upper and lower small, equal, 

 cymbiform, margins ciliate, the lateral very large, 

 nearly orbicular; petals 5, separate, upper strap-shaped, 

 two-thirds as long as keel, lateral pointed, less than one- 

 half as long, embraced with the 8 stamens by the large 

 cymbiform keel, which is opened on the upper and 

 lower edge and not cristate, or appendaged: seeds 2, 

 large, ovoid, pubescent. Low. Calif. B.M. 8065. In 

 S. Calif. P. apopetala is said to grow up to 15 ft. or more 

 in height and to be valuable economically as its young 

 branches contain a very strong fiber and the pea-sized 

 brown seeds which are plentifully produced yield as 

 much as 38 per cent of excellent oil. The root has the 

 same properties in a higher percentage as are contained 

 in P. Senega. 



BB. Habit dwarf, 1 ft. or less high. 



10. amarymbica, Eckl. & Zeyn. (P. acuminata, E. 

 Mey. & Hort.?, not Willd.). Densely tufted, erect, 

 3-6 in. high: Ivs. lanceolate-acuminate, pungently 

 mucronate: racemes lateral, few-fld., spreading or 

 reflexed; fls. small, wings green, keel and petals flesh- 

 color to purple; keel with a many-parted crest. S. Afr. 

 P. acuminata of the trade is probably not P. acumi- 

 nata, Willd., which is Badiera acuminata. Badiera dif- 

 fers from Polygala in having 2 of the sepals only a 

 little larger than the others, instead of much larger. 



Two other species have been recently intro. into cult. : P. brack $p- 

 oda. Tod., whose native country is not known, has erect growth, 

 green very straight branches, long and very narrow Ivs., and numer- 

 ous reddish purple fls. Intro, into Calif. P. V&yrtdz, Costa. A 

 small plant 4 in. high, hardy or half-hardy in England, growing 

 only a few inches high, with linear, evergreen Ivs. and reddish purple 

 fls. with a yellow keeL Spain. Closely resembles P. Chamaebuius. 

 but has narrower Ivs. WlLHELM MlLLER. 



F. TRACY HrBBARD.f 



POLYGONATUM (Greek, many knee; alluding to the 

 numerous joints of the rootstock). Liliaceae. SOLO- 

 MON'S SEAL. Perennial herbs, with simple stems from 

 creeping knotted rootstocks, sometimes planted. 



Stems naked below, above bearing nearly sessile or 

 half-clasping nerved Ivs. and axillary nodding greenish 

 fls.: perianth cylindrical, 6-lobed at the summit; sta- 

 mens 6; ovary "3-celled with 2-6 ovules in each cell: 

 berry globular, black or blue. About 60 species, widely 

 distributed in the temperate regions of the northern 

 hemisphere. The genus is distinguished from its nearest 

 allies by the cylindrical perianth-tube with short lobes 

 and small undivided style. Polygonatums are graceful 

 in their habit, the unbranched arching sts. bearing 

 pendulous, tubular fls. 1-10 in the axils. The name 

 Solomon's seal is connected with the horizontal root- 

 stocks which are scarred by the death of the annual 

 stems, each scar being likened to a seal (see Smilacina). 

 Polygonatums are best suited for partially or wholly 

 shaded positions, although they do well in the open in 

 a well-prepared border. They like a deep rich soil not 

 subject to drought. Easily propagated by division. 

 They are among the best subjects for wild gardening. 

 P. multiflorum is used abroad considerably for forcing 

 and for house plants. Our native species are presumably 

 equally desirable for all purposes. The Solomon's seal 

 of English literature is P. multiflorum, which is proba- 

 bly the commonest species native to Europe. There are 

 several Himalayan and Japanese species. The common 

 Solomon's seal of our nurseries is the European. P. 

 multiflorum, the American kinds being listed only by 



specialists in native plants. The others here described 

 are offered by Dutch bulb-growers. For extended 

 articles on the forcing of P. multiflorum, see Gn. 26, p. 

 236 (or V. 7:337); 30, p. 49, and F.R. 3:594. 



A. Lvs. all whorled. 



verticillatum, All. St. 2-3 ft. high: Ivs. in whorls of 

 4-8, linear, 3-6 in. long: fls. in 2's or 3's. Eu., Himal- 

 ayas. P. macrophyttum, Link, is perhaps a distinct 

 variety with more robust habit and larger Ivs. 



3101. Polygonatum 

 biflorum. (XJ4) 



AA. Lvs. alternate. 

 B. Perianth 2-3 lines thick. 



officinale, All. Height l-l^ift. : fls. 1 or 2 in the axils: 

 Ivs. oblong, 2-3 in. long, firmer than those of P. multi- 

 florum: perianth-segms. greenish. Eu., Siberia. P. 

 ambiguum, Link, is offered as a distinct form abroad. 



latifdlium, Desf. (P. Thunbergii, C. Morr.). Height 

 2-4 ft.: fls. 1-5 in the axils: Ivs. oblong, 3-6 in. long: 

 perianth-segm. greenish. Eu., Asia. Intermediate in 

 habit between P. officinale and P. multiflorum, but with 

 earlier fls. 



BB. Perianth lY^-2 lines thick. 

 c. Plant glabrous. 



multifldrum, All. Height 2-3 ft.: Ivs. oblong, 3-6 

 in. long: perianth-tube white; segms. greenish; fila- 

 ments densely pilose. Eu., N. Asia, Himalayas. Gn. 

 26. p. 236; 30, p. 49; 69, p. 172. V. 7:337. Var. flore- 

 r6seo, Hort., has rosy fls. There are said to be varie- 

 ties with double fls. and variegated foliage. The type 

 seems to be more graceful than the varieties. This is 

 the common Solomon's seal of Eu., where it is also 

 called lady's seal and David's harp. 



commutatum, Dietr. (P. giganteum, Dietr.). Taller 

 and more robust than P. biflorum, 1-8 ft. high: Ivs. 

 \Yr in. long, 3-4 in. wide: fls. 1-8 in the axils; fila- 

 ments somewhat flattened, smooth, not roughened. 



