230 ORDER XV. POLYGALACE^. 



Order XV.— POLYGALA'CE^E. 



Sepals 5, persistent; the two lateral ones introrse, 

 and petaloid ; the three exterior small. Petah 3, irregular, 

 somewhat papilionaceous, the keel crested. Stamens hypngy- 

 nous, from 6 — 8, monadelphous, with the tube split on the 

 upper side. Ovary consists of two carpels, with a central pla- 

 centa, 2-celled, with a solitary ovule in each cell, pendulous. 

 Seeds anatropous, with much albumen. Embryo generally 

 straight, as long as the albumen. Herbaceous, with bitter 

 root. 



Genus L— POLYG'ALA. Mich. 16—5. 

 (From the Greek polity much, and gala, milk.) 



Sepals 5, permanent, unequal, the two lateral ones larger, 

 colored. Petals 3, united to the tube of stamens. Fruit a 

 capsule, 2-celled, compressed, obcordate, or elliptical. Flowers 

 in racemes, approachmg, in different cases, spikes or heals, 

 more commonly the latter. 



a. Flowers capitate or in .spikes. Seeds with a 2lobcd caruncle. 



1. P. sanguin'ea, (L.) Stem branched. Leaves linear, acute, less 

 than an inch long. Flowers capitate or in an oblong spike. Wiiiga 

 membranaceous, bright rose-color. Crest minute. Capsules obovate. 

 Seeds black. — Red. ®. Aug. — Sept. In dry soils, common. 4—6 

 inches. 



2. P. purpu'bea, (Nutt.) Stem fastigiately branched ; sometimes 

 simple, erect, angular, and slightly winged. Leaves alternate, linear- 

 lanceolate, 1 inch long. Flotvers in oblong spikes. Wings broad-ovate, 

 green, tinged with purple. Crest minute. Seeds hairy, with a carun- 

 cle nearly as long as the seed, nearly black. — Red. 0. June. Com- 

 mon. 8 — 12 inches. 



3. P. crucia'ta, (L.) Steyn erect, branching, winged. Leaves verti- 

 cillate, linear, punctate. Flowers in ovate spikes, nearly sessile. Sta- 

 mens short. Wings dilated at the base, with a purple border. Crest 

 minute. Seed obovate, slightly hispid. — Red, with green. 0. July. 

 8 — 12 inches. 



4. P. lu'tea, (L.) Ste77i branched or simple. Flotvers in an ovate 

 spike, nearly globular. Wings broad, lanceolate, acuminate, yellow. 

 Crest minute. Radical leaves spatulate ; the cauline ones lanceolate, 

 ftcute. Seeds hairy. — Yellow. 0. June— September. Common. 8— 

 12 inches. 



5. P. na'na, (D. C.) Stem simple. Leaves cuneate, obovate, obtuse ; 

 sometimes with a long attenuated base. Fioicers in a dense cylindrical 

 spike, nearly sessile. Wings ovate, acuminate, with a setaceous point, 

 yeUow-sh-green. Crest large. Seed obovate, a little hairy. — Yelii^w- 

 ish-green. 0. June— Sept. Pine woods. 1 — 6 inches. 



