POLYG ALA PAUCIFO'LIA. 
FEW-LEAVED MILKWORT. 
Class. 
DI A DELPHI A. 
Order. 
OCTANDHIA. 
Natural Order. 
POLYGALACEAC. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration, 
Introduced 
N. America 
3 inches. 
May to Aug. 
Perennial. 
in 1812. 
No. 803. 
Here, again, the Greek language is drawn upon 
to supply a botanical name. The words polus, 
much, and gala, milk, being compounded, to in- 
form us that the plant polygala is productive of 
milk, in a more than ordinary degree, in cattle 
that eat it. 
From the Greek language having continued al- 
most immutable, and the facility with which its 
words admit of combination, writers in every de- 
partment of science, have usually resorted to it for 
the supply of materials for new terms required in 
science or art. Offence should not be taken at 
the introduction of these ; for as new objects or op- 
erations present themselves, so will it be seen to be 
requisite that terms be coined as their represent- 
atives. 
The Polygala paucifolia is a pretty and very 
rare plant; it is the largest flowered American 
species, but is rather impatient of culture. It 
succeeds best when potted in very sandy peat, and 
sheltered in winter. Its roots, which are stoloni- 
ferous, often run round the sides of the pot, and 
may be divided for increase. 
Don’s Syst. Bot. 1, 361. 
