284 CIsASS XVII. ORDER III. 



side. The spike opens gradually, so that the lower flowers are 

 in fruit while the upper ones are in blossom. On the banks of 

 Lake Cham plain. — July.— Perennial. 



The root of this species is extensively used in medicine. 



Poi.YUALA CRiciATA. L. Cross Icavccl Polt/gala. 



Stem erect, branching, winged at the angles; leaves 

 in fours, linear-lanceolate; heads spiked, sessile. 



Stem short, with four membranous angles, and opposite 

 branches. Leaves in whorls of four, sessile, smooth, lanceolate, 

 very obtuse, slightly mucronated. Flowers in a terminal, oblong 

 head. The two longer leaves of the calyx heart shaped, acute, 

 purple. In low grounds, rare, flowering in the latter part of 

 summer. — Annual. 



PoLYGALA vERTiciLLATA. L. Wkorl leuvcd Polygdla. 

 Stem erect, branched; leaves verticillate, linear; 

 spikes pedunculated, linear: flowers alternate, approx- 

 imate. 



A very slender species. Stem erect, quadrangular, branched, 

 the branches usually exceeding the main stem in height. Leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, in whorls of five or six. Spikes slender ; flow- 

 ers small, whitish, the lower ones usually scattered. — On dry 

 hills, Roxbury. — July. — Annual. 



PoLYGALA PAUciFOLiA. WUld. Fringcd Polygttla. 



Stem simple, erect, naked below; leaves ovate, 

 acute, glabrous; terminal flowers large, pencilled; 

 radical flowers apterous. 



A beautiful low plant with purple flowers, larger than in most 

 other native species of this genus. The leaves grow mostly at the 

 top of the stem, and immediately above them are three or four very 

 handsome, crested, purple flowers. Calyx leaves five, the upper- 

 most gibbous at base and somewhat acute, the two next longer 

 than the corolla, narrow at base, wider and obtuse at top, the 

 two remaining ones small, acute and white. Corolla purple, the 

 middle lobe white with a purple crest. 



