Polygala L.

1. Polygala L. View in CoL 4

Small, perennial herbs, rarely annuals or small shrubs. Leaves usually alternate, entire or subentire. Flowers usually in terminal racemes, rarely in axillary racemes or solitary in leaf-axils. Sepals unequal, the 2 inner (wings) much larger than the 3 outer. Petals 3, united proximally into a corolla-tube, free distally, the lower (keel) of different form from the 2 upper, and usually bearing a fimbriate crest. Filaments partly or wholly united into a tube, which is partly adnate to the corolla-tube. Gynophore often present, usually elongating in fruit. Stigma 2-lobed, only the posterior lobe receptive. Capsule compressed, usually with a marginal wing. Seeds hairy, with a usually 3-lobed strophiole.

Descriptions and measurements of the petals refer to the free portion and exclude the corolla-tube. Terminal racemes are sometimes displaced by the growth of an axillary branch immediately below them; they are then termed pseudolateral.

Literature: R. Chodat, Arch. Sci. Phys. Nat. (Genève) ser. 3, 18: 281-299 (1887); Bull. Soc. Bot. Genève 5: 123-185 (1889); Mém. Soc. Phys. Hist. Nat. Genève Suppl. Centen. No. 7 (1891); 31 (2), No. 2 (1893). P. Graebner in Ascherson & Graebner, Syn. Mitteleur. FI. 7: 309-387 (1915-16). B. Pawlowski, Fragm. FI. Geobot. 3: 35-68 (1958).

1 Leaves coriaceous; wings patent, not enclosing corolla, deci­ duous

2 Crestofkeelinconspicuous,with2 -6shortlobes;capsule 6-8 mm 2. chamaebuxus

2 Crestof keel conspicuous,with5 -9long,narrowlobes;cap­ sule 9-13 mm 3. vayredae

1 Leaves scarcely coriaceous; wings enclosing at least a part of the corolla, persistent in fruit 3 Shrub 100-250cm; wings 15-20 mm 4. myrtifolia 3 Herb,orshrublessthan 60 cm;wings3-15 mm 4 Keelwithoutcrest;lowercauline leavesoften caducous

1. microphylla 4 Keelwithusuallyprominent,fimbriatecrest;leavesusually persistent at least to anthesis 5 Annual; corolla much shorter than wings 6 Wings 3-3-5 mm; corolla purple 6. exilis 6 Wings 6-8 mm; corolla whitish 10. monspeliaca 5 Perennial; corolla longer than wings, or only slightly shorter 7 At least some racemes subterminal or pseudolateral

8 Lower leaves ± opposite 26. serpyllifolia

8 All leaves alternate

9 Wings 4-4-5 mm 33. alpina

9 Wings 5-8 mm

10 Wings conspicuously asymmetrical, curving upwards;

outer sepals subequal, not inflated 7. sibirica

10 Wings ± symmetrical; upper outer sepal inflated and longer than lower pair

11 Wings uniformly membranous, with 3-5 branched veins 9. supina

11 Wings herbaceous, with a membranous margin, and with 1 vein

12 Leaves linear to oblong, apiculate 5. rupestris

12 Leaves obovate, obtuse 8. subuniflora 7 Racemes all terminal

13 Corolla-tube at least j as long as wings; keel clearly exserted

14 Wings ciliate 17. lusitanica

14 Wings glabrous

15 Gynophore longer than ovary in flower and more than 2 mm in fruit

16 Gynophore less than 3 mm in fruit; wings 7-10 mm

in flower 12. anatolica

16 Gynophore more than 3 mm in fruit; wings 9-13 mm

in flower

17 Racemes with (10-)30-60 flowers; bracts 3-6 mm

11. major

13. boissieri 15 Gynophore much shorter than ovary in flower and less than 1 mm in fruit 18 Wings less than 7 mm 16. sardoa 18 Wings 7-5-11 mm 19 Leaves entire; wings obtuse 14. venulosa 19 Leaves slightly serrulate; wings acute 15. presili 13 Corolla-tube less than j as long as wings; keel not exserted 20 Corolla and wings yellow in flower 21 Wings 7-5-9 mm 20. flavescens 21 Wings 4-7 mm 23. comosa 20 Corolla and wings purple, blue, pink or white (rarely wings green) in flower 22 Leaf-rosettes present, with leaves much longer than cauline leaves 23 Stems with a decumbent, usually leafless portion below the leaf-rosette 30. calcarea 23 Leaf-rosettes basal 24 Leaves not bitter; flowering stems arising laterally from rosette 33. alpina 24 Leaves bitter; flowering stems arising from centre of rosette 25 Wings 4-5-8 mm in fruit, elliptical 31. amara 25 Wings 2-4-5(-5) mm in fruit, oblong to obovate 32. amarella 22 Leaf-rosettes absent; basal leaves not longer than most of the cauline leaves 26 Wings 7-5-11 mm in flower and more than 8 mm in fruit 27 Racemes ± ovoid, dense, not elongating in fruit 19. doerfleri 27 Racemes conical or cylindrical, lax, elongating in fruit 28 Stems filiform; corolla-tube curved; flowers blue 18. baetica 28 Stems stout; corolla-tube straight; flowers usually pink, sometimes blue or white 29 Upper petals scarcely longer than keel 22. apiculata 29 Upper petals much longer than keel 21. nicaeensis 26 Wings 3-7 mm in flower and not more than 8 mm in fruit 30 Lower leaves ± opposite 31 Cauline leaves increasing in size upwards 29. edmundii 31 Cauline leaves ± equal 26. serpyllifolia 30 All leaves alternate 32 Racemes grouped in a corymbose panicle 28. cristagalli 32 Racemes solitary 33 Upper cauline leaves crowded, larger than those below; peduncle 5 mm or less 25. alpestris 33 Upper cauline leaves not crowded, not larger than those below; peduncle usually more than 10 mm 34 Crest of keel 4- to 6-Iobed; wings greenish in flower 27. carueliana 34 Crest of keel 8- to 40-lobed; wings pink, blue, purple or white 35 Bracts not exceeding pedicels at anthesis 24. vulgaris 35 Bracts exceeding pedicels at anthesis 36 Wings (6—)8—11 mm, with 3-5 veins; bracts scarcely projecting beyond apex of developing raceme 21. nicaeensis 36 Wings 4-6(-8) mm, with 1-3 veins; bracts projecting beyond apex of developing raceme 23. comosa