Polygala cruciata

Family:POLYGALACEAE
Species:Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
Common Name:Drumheads; Cross Leaf Milkwort; Purple Candyroot
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Annual
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Drumheads is a native herbaceous annual in the Milkwort family (Polygalaceae). It occurs nearly statewide in Alabama, but is most common in the southern third of the state. Drumheads occurs in bogs, in wet meadows, in seeps, and on wet roadsides. It is a single-stemmed annual from a taproot. Stems are erect, 3-8 inches in height, usually branched above the middle, glabrous, and green in color. Leaves are in whorls of four, sessile, linear to spatulate or elliptic in outline, glabrous, and with entire margins. Flowers are produced in dense terminal head-like racemes. Flowers are purple or pink in color and have five sepals and three petals. Two of the sepals are larger, spreading, triangular and petal-like (wings). The three petals are fused. The lower petal is the keel and has a 2-parted crest with 2 or 3 entire or 2-forked lobes on each side. The fruit is a two seeded capsule with a winged stipe-like base. The seed are pubescent.—A. Diamond.
Taxonomic Notes:Most of our plants have 5-12 leaf-bearing nodes. Sometimes a more northern entity with 3-5 leaf bearing nodes is recognized as either a var.(Polygala cruciata L. var. aquilonia Fern. & Schub.) or a subspecies (Polygala cruciata ssp. aquilonia (Fern. & Schub.) A. Haines). If the more northern entity occurs in Alabama, it would more than likely be in the extreme northern counties.
Status:Native
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyPOLYGALACEAE - Milkwort family
Genus Polygala
Species Polygala cruciata Linnaeus - Drumheads; Cross Leaf Milkwort; Purple Candyroot

Citation

Citation POLYGALA CRUCIATA L. Sp. Pl. 2: 706. 1753. (1 May 1753).
Basionym: **
Type: **

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Polygala cruciata subsp. aquilonia Polygala cruciata subsp. aquilonia (Fernald & B.G. Schub.) A. Haines, Stantec Bot. Notes 13(add.): 1. 2010.Polygala cruciata var. aquilonia Fernald & B.G. Schub. 
Polygala cruciata var. aquilonia Polygala cruciata var. aquilonia Fernald & B.G. Schub., Rhodora 50(595): 163–166, pl. 1100. 1948.  
Polygala cruciata var. ramosior Polygala cruciata var. ramosior Nash ex B.L. Rob., Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 1(1[2]): 458. 1897.  
Polygala ramosior Polygala ramosior (Nash ex B.L. Rob.) Small, Man. S.E. Fl. 771. 1933.Polygala cruciata var. ramosior Nash ex B.L. Rob. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Choctaw, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, DeKalb, Escambia, Etowah, Houston, Lamar, Mobile, Montgomery, Randolph, Russell, Shelby, Sumter, Washington

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, USAM, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: 1952 - 1980

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.
Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used
Image
UWAL0005769 Butler 20 Jul 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19598
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
TROY000034251 Baldwin 29 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5370
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_51926 Butler 13 Aug 1989 Diamond, Alvin R.
6265
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
JSU138632 DeKalb 06 Sep 1984 Whetstone, R. David
14806
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
JSU138634 Etowah 31 Jul 1994 Hodge, Lesley M.
2946
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
SAMF0000955 Sumter 25 Jul 2006 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3503
SAMF
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus var. cruciata
TROY000007844 Washington 14 Aug 2006 Keener, Brian R.
3038
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00023261 Washington 05 Aug 1980 Haynes, Robert R.
8127
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
AUA_ACC_7324 Washington 31 Aug 1960 Jones, Jr., Samuel B.
268
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
TROY000022214 Autauga 30 Jul 1980 Dalrymple, Larry
49
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus var. aquilonia Fernald & Schubert
ALNHS00006607 Etowah 05 Sep 2019 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#4853
ALNHS
Polygala cruciata L.
UWAL0018349 Baldwin 28 Jun 1991 Kral, Robert
79259
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
USAM000012909 Washington 03 Sep 1972 LeLong, Michel G.
6830
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00056029 Covington 30 Jun 1998 MacDonald, John R.
11569
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
AUA_ACC_52552 Escambia 16 Jun 1990 Diamond, Alvin R.
6982
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
JSU138633 DeKalb 11 Aug 1974 Whetstone, R. David
3537
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
JSU138628 Baldwin 26 Sep 1985 Whetstone, R. David
15250
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
USAM000012907 Mobile 22 Aug 1966 LeLong, Michel G.
4028
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00023264 Escambia 07 Aug 1979 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1485
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
ALNHS00000252 Mobile 21 Jun 1998 Spaulding, Daniel D.
10318
ALNHS
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA000036091 Covington 15 Jul 2011 Hansen, Curtis J.
5147
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UNA00023252 Baldwin 05 Jul 1963 McDaniel, Sidney
3588
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
UWAL0044348 Baldwin 22 Jun 1993 Walker, M.M.
157
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
UWAL0016746 Escambia 31 Jul 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25399
UWAL
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
SAMF0000954 Baldwin 06 Aug 2010 Davenport, Lawrence J.
4451
SAMF
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus var. cruciata
TROY000007843 Coffee 10 Jul 2000 Martin, Brian H.
763
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_18849 Washington 9 Sep 1970 Moore, Harold D.
1035
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
TROY000007842 Baldwin 26 Jun 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
16573
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_19596 Baldwin 25 Jul 1969 Moore, Harold D.
507-69
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
ALNHS00003383 Baldwin 6 Aug 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1873
ALNHS
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_63615 Autauga 30 Jul 1980 Freeman, John D.
49
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UWAL0050855 Mobile 24 Jun 1964 Anonymous
903
UWAL
Polygala cruciata
UWAL0038363 Mobile 08 Aug 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
8099.2
UWAL
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_46366 Escambia 8 Aug 1987 Diamond, Alvin R.
3475
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
AUA000042571 Covington 14 Sep 2010 Pancake, Jr., Dale C.
S.N.
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UNA00064824 Washington 14 Aug 2006 Keener, Brian R.
3038
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
USAM000012908 Mobile 02 Jul 1977 LeLong, Michel G.
9904
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00064808 Sumter 20 Jul 2006 Keener, Brian R.
2995
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
JSU138627 Baldwin 28 Sep 1985 Whetstone, R. David
15266
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_5876 Baldwin 27 Jul 1968 Scarsbrook, Ellen
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UWAL0036154 Baldwin 08 Aug 2013 Keener, Brian R.
8126
UWAL
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0034471 Choctaw 18 Jul 1995 Kral, Robert
85392
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
UWAL0044347 Baldwin 10 Jun 2000 McArthur, Jill D.
624
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_72536 Baldwin 18 Jun 2008 Barger, T. Wayne
PERD-276
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L. Var. Cruciata
USAM000012912 Lamar 27 Jun 1970 Kral, Robert
39786
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00023257 Baldwin 24 May 1980 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1908
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
AUA000040169 Baldwin 27 Aug 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
SP1960
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UNA00023259 Baldwin 13 Sep 1952 Chermock, Ralph L.
s.n.
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
JSU138635 Mobile 21 Jun 1998 Spaulding, Daniel D.
10318
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0033917 Autauga 05 Oct 2014 Keener, Brian R.
8663
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_17329 Montgomery 16 Jul 1969 Owens, James R.
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UWAL0018355 Baldwin 28 Jun 1991 Kral, Robert
79238
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_11330 Russell 27 Aug 1966 Cunningham, Hugh B.
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
ALNHS00006395 DeKalb 21 JUN 2017 Barger, T. Wayne
DLR#266
ALNHS
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_20718 Houston 30 Jul 1970 Moore, Harold D.
522
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
TROY000032939 Conecuh 13 Aug 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22405
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
TROY000040637 Escambia 31 Jul 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25399
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_67731 Covington 14 Aug 2008 Hansen, Curtis J.
3449
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UNA00023242 Covington 13 Jul 1978 Davenport, Lawrence J.
586
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
UWAL0005768 Baldwin 29 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5370
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
USAM000012957 Baldwin 30 Jul 1972 LeLong, Michel G.
6654
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_46533 Baldwin 24 Oct 1982 Kuhns, Michael R.
115
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
JSU138636 Shelby 01 Oct 1986 Boehm, S.J.
176
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
USAM000012910 Mobile 08 Aug 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
8099.1
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0005771 Washington 14 Aug 2006 Keener, Brian R.
3038
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
UNA00023270 Mobile _ Aug _ Mohr, Charles
s.n.
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
AUA_ACC_65909 Baldwin 26 Jun 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
16573
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
UNA00064065 DeKalb 11 Aug 1974 Whetstone, R.D.
3537
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. aquilonia Fern. & Schub.
TROY000036382 Bullock 18 Jul 2012 Dykes, Bailee
1008
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0005770 Sumter 20 Jul 2006 Keener, Brian R.
2995
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
UWAL0043513 Baldwin 22 Jun 2007 Larsen, Harry S.
s.n.
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
JSU138630 DeKalb 06 Sep 1984 Nixon, Christopher F.
798
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
JSU138629 Baldwin 10 Aug 1993 Spaulding, Daniel D.
4270
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
AUA_ACC_17327 Baldwin 25 Jul 1969 Thornhill, Randy
164
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
USAM000012911 Mobile 10 Jun 1980 LeLong, Michel G.
11104
USAM
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0013665 Mobile 14 Jul 2013 Keener, Brian R.
8043
UWAL
Polygala cruciata L.
ALNHS00004961 Randolph 25 May 2017 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#3114
ALNHS
Polygala cruciata L.
AUA_ACC_53612 Calhoun 17 Aug 1993 Hilton, Jarel L.
93
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
TROY000033405 Barbour 20 Aug 2011 Dykes, Bailee
25
TROY
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UWAL0011840 Washington 22 Jul 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7399
UWAL
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
UNA00023253 Mobile 01 Jun 1965 Deramus, Rebecca
D512
UNA
Polygala cruciata L. var. cruciata
AUA_ACC_46284 Crenshaw 31 Jul 1987 Diamond, Alvin R.
3449
AUA
Polygala Cruciata L.
JSU138631 DeKalb 14 Oct 1975 Whetstone, R. David
7396
JSU
Polygala cruciata Linnaeus
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