POLYGALA 



branched shrub, 3-8 ft. high, with large, showy fls. near 

 the ends of tlie branches: Ivs. flat, variable in shape, 

 but not subulate: lateral petals 2-lobed, the posterior 

 lobe ear-shaped, reflexed S. Africa. —Var. ^andiflbra, 

 Hook {P grandtfldia Hoit and L B C 13 1227 not 



i-J-^ i^} 



POLTGONATUM 



1391 



1875 Polygala pauctfoha 



Walt ) Fls over : 

 P Diilmai>,id>ia w 

 above 



virgita, Thunb. Glabrous shrub, 2-5 or even 1.5 ft. 

 high, with rod-like branches terminating: in many-fld., 

 leafless racemes of purple or flesh-colored fls. : anterior 

 sepals distinct: wings obtuse. S. Afr. — The typical 

 form is advertised in S. Calif., but in Eu. probably the 

 only form cult, is var. specidsa. Haw. {P. specidsa, 

 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. 2:150. B. 1:43. 



apop6taIa, T. S. Brandegee. Frutescent, 2-3 ft. 

 high: branches slender, pubescent: Ivs. lanceolate, en- 

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

 glabrous: fls. large, pink, on slender pedicels H 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. Lower Calif. 



amatymbica, Eckl. & Zeyn. (P. acuminata, E. Mey. 

 & Hort. (?), not Willd.). Densely tufted, erect, 3-6 

 in. high: Ivs. lanceolate acuminate, pungently mucro- 

 nate: 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 ot the trade is probably not P. (U-itmiiiata, 

 Willd., which is Budiera acuminata. Badiera diflfers 

 from Polygala in having 2 of the sepals only a little 

 larger than the others, instead of much larger. \^^_ ji_ 



POLYGONATUM (Greek, )HffHj/-Jojii;(!f7.- probably re- 

 ferring to the stem). Lilidcea. Solomon's Seal. About 

 20 species of hardy herbaceous perennials of graceful 

 habit, their unbranched arching stems bearing pen- 

 dulous, tubular greenish fls., which are succeeded by 

 handsome dark blue berries. The name Solomon's Seal 

 is connected witli the horizontal rootstocks which are 

 scarred by the death of the annual stems, each scar 



being likened to seal (see Smitaciiia). The stems are 

 leafy above, the Ivs. ovate or lanceolate, alternate, 

 opposite or whorled : fls. greenish or pinkish, 1-10 in the 

 axils. The genus is distinguished from its nearest allies 

 by the c\hndrical perianth tube -n ith short lobes and 

 small undivided stj le The species are natives 

 of the north temperate zone. 



Polygonatums are best suited for partially or 

 wholl> shaded positions though they do well in 

 the open m a well prepaied border. They 

 like a deep rich soil not subject to drought. 

 Easily prop by division Xhey are among the 

 best subjects for wild gardening. P. multi- 

 flo)um IS used abioad considerably for forc- 

 ing and for house pi mts Our native species 

 aie lie uunl Ij c |u illj desirable for all pur- 

 pi) H 111 V I ,„ ,1 Seal of English literature 

 li I II If I I ^^ Inch IS probably the com- 

 mune t I 1 11 lint toEuiope. Therearesev- 

 eralHimala>anau 1 I apauese species. Thecom- 

 Solomon s Seal of our nurseries is the 

 Euiopean P multiflotum the American kinds 

 being listed only b> specialists in native plants. 

 here described are offered by Dutch 

 bulb groweis For extended articles on the forc- 

 ing of P multiflonim see Gn. 26, p. 236 (or V. 

 7 337), 30 p 49, and F R 3:594. 

 A Li \ all uhorled. 

 verticiUatum All Stem 2-3 ft. high: Ivs. in 

 3-bin long: fls. in 2's or 

 3 s Eu HimiUxis P macrophi/llum,Ijiiik., 

 IS perh ips i di tmtt var with more robust 

 habit and largei h s 



AA iis altunnte. 

 B PLiianth 2-Stim^ thick. 

 I Height 1-PA ft fh 1 o, 2 in the axils. 

 officinslle All Lvs oblong 2-3 n. long, firmer than 

 those of P miiViflnium perianth segments greenish. 

 Eu., Siberia. P. ambiguum, Link., is offered as a dis- 

 tinct form by Krelage. 



CO. Height 2-4 ft.: fls. 1-i in the axils. 

 latifaiium, Desf. (P. TJiunbergi, C. Morr.). Lvs. ob- 

 long, 3-6 in. long : perianth-segment greenish. Eu., 

 Asia. — Intermediaie in habit between P. officinale and 

 mnltiflonim but with earlier fls. 



BB. Perianth 1%-S lines thick. 

 c. Plant glabrous. 

 D. Filaments densely pilose. 

 multiflfirum, All. Pig. 1876. Height 2-3 ft. : lvs. ob- 

 long, 3-6 in. long : perianth-tube white ; segments 

 greenish. Eu., N. Asia. Himalayas. Gn. 26, p. 236; 30, 

 " flore roseo, Hort., has rosy 

 be varieties with double fls. 



and variegated foliage. The type seems to be more 

 graceful than the varieties. This is the common Solo- 

 mon's Seal of Europe, where it is also called Lady's 

 Seal and David's Harp. 



