Polygala polygama Walter

Racemed Milkwort; Southern Bitter Milkwort

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Racemed Milkwort is a native herbaceous perennial in the Milkwort family (Polygalaceae). It occurs throughout most of Alabama, but is most common in the eastern half of the state. Racemed Milkwort occurs in open woodlands, in sandhills, and on roadsides. It is a perennial with a tap root. Several erect stems up to 1 foot in height are produced from each root crown. The stems are green in color, angled, unbranched, and glabrous. Leaves are alternate, sessile, oblong to lanceolate or elliptic in outline, entire, and glabrous. Each leaf has a single prominent vein. Flowers are produced in terminal racemes. Individual flowers consist of 3 petals and 5 sepals. They are rose, pink, or purple in color. Two of the sepals are large, purple in color, and petal like. They form “wings”. The three petals form a fringed tubular structure around the stamens. These flowers are cross pollinated by small bees. Cleistogamous flowers are produced underground at the base of the plant. The cleistogamous flowers are white and bud shaped. They never open and are self-pollinated. The fruit is a capsule with two black, pubescent seed.--A. Diamond

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Native FACU (NWPL)

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