Polygala polygama

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:POLYGALACEAE
Species:Polygala polygama Walter
Common Name:Racemed Milkwort; Southern Bitter Milkwort
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:POPO
Plant Notes: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
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Native, FACU (NWI)
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 polygama Walter - Racemed Milkwort; Southern Bitter Milkwort

Citation

Citation Polygala polygama Walter, Fl. Carol. 179. 1788.
Basionym: **
Type: USA: SOUTH CAROLINA: Richland Co.: Columbia, 19 May 1934, Palmer 42407 (neotype: GH). Neotypified by D. B. Ward, J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 2: 482. 2008.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Anthallogea polygama Anthallogea polygama (Walter) Rafinesque ex Nieuwland, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 3: 180. 1914.Polygala polygama Walter 1788. 
Polygala aborigina Polygala aborigina Small, Torreya 26: 92. 1926. FLORIDA: Volusia Co.: Turtle Mound, 24 May 1926, Small et al. s.n. (holotype: NY; isotypes: NY 2 shts).
Polygala polygama var. abortiva Polygala polygama Walter, var. abortiva Chodat, Mém. Soc. Phys. Gèneve 31(2(2)): 280. 1893.  
Polygala polygama var. macrospora Polygala polygama Walter, var. macrospora Chodat, Mém. Soc. Phys. Gèneve 31(2(2)): 280. 1893.  
Polygala polygama var. obtusata Polygala polygama Walter, var. obtusata Chodat, Mém. Soc. Phys. Gèneve 31(2(2)): 280. 1893.  
Polygala polygama var. ramulosa Polygala polygama Walter, var. ramulosa Farwell, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 11: 63. 1928. MICHIGAN: St. Clair Co.: Algonac, 10 Aug 1927, Farwell 8068 (lectotype: BLH; isolectotype: MICH). Lectotypified by McVaugh et al., Cranbrook Inst. Sci. Bull. 34: 57. 1953.
Polygala rubella Polygala rubella Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3: 875. 1803. PENNSYLVANIA
Polygala rugosa Polygala rugosa Rafinesque, New Fl. 4: 89. 1838 ("1836").  

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, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coffee, Conecuh, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Henry, Houston, Lee, Macon, Marion, Marshall, Mobile, Pike, Randolph, Russell, St. Clair, Sumter, Tallapoosa

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: 1897 - 2019

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
JSU138937 Cullman 23 May 1974 Whetstone, R. David
2826		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_12783 Chambers 8 May 1967 Golden, Michael
91		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000007866 Pike 05 Apr 1995 Herring, Tameka
3		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_3212 Lee 21 May 1949 Cunningham, Hugh B.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UWAL0013716 Houston 30 Apr 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
23980		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000039421 Elmore 12 Jun 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25196		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
USAM000012948 Mobile 23 Mar 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7452		 USAM
Polygala polygama Walter
JSU138938 DeKalb 27 May 1974 Atkinson, Tim A.
248		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007906 Crenshaw 17 May 2002 Diamond, Alvin R.
13233		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0047705 Randolph 21 May 2010 England, J. Kevin
2405		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00009865 Mobile 1 Mar 1975 Frye, Susan Ulmer
55		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_3213 Lee 22 May 1951 Majors, Edward
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000007909 Pike 06 May 1996 Holmes, Jeanese
175		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_45394 Tallapoosa 14 May 1979 Atchley, Cecil G.
141		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU138935 Clay 24 May 1973 Whetstone, R. David
RDW-1334		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_3219 Lee 3 May 1950 Davis, James R.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UNA00009870 Bibb 24 May 1979 Creitz, S.J.
38		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
TROY000037905 Houston 30 Apr 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
23980		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
USAM000012946 Mobile 24 Mar 1976 LeLong, Michel G.
9043		 USAM
Polygala polygama Walter
JSU138933 Cherokee 05 May 1994 Ballard, J. Mark
4051		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000039386 Elmore 18 May 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25112		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00009867 Lee 16 May 1897 Baker, Charles F.
s.n.		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
JSU138930 Calhoun 20 Jun 1969 Brooks, Janis
s.n.		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_5286 Chambers 20 May 1967 Lane, Ronnie
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
ALNHS00006398 Bullock 22 May 2019 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#4420		 ALNHS
Polygala polygama Walt.
UWAL0005802 Coosa 01 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5227		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
TROY000033389 Coosa 01 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5227		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0047337 Marion 21 May 1988 Webb, David H.
5346		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
UWAL0009266 Sumter 26 May 2010 Keener, Brian R.
6040		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
JSU138939 DeKalb 15 Jan 1975 Durham, Steven D.
183		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007904 Dale 16 May 1997 Rundell, Hannelore
184		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_49615 Pike 15 May 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
4777		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU138940 Houston 08 May 1976 Kral, Robert
57965		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_3215 Lee 27 May 1953 Coleman, Eugene
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000042017 Houston 07 May 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26291		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00009871 Marshall 02 Jun 1979 Wiersema, John H.
723		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
JSU138931 Cherokee 28 May 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007858 Dale 30 May 1999 Prazinko, Brian F.
s.n.		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0010782 Butler 29 Apr 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
22992		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000032285 Dallas 13 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5286		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000022591 Dale 08 May 2005 Kral, Robert
96257		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00016799 Mobile 27 Apr 1968 Thomas, Joab L.
1656		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_8058 Lee 17 May 1959 Brady, Jr., V.E.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UNA00009865 Mobile 01 Mar 1975 Frye, Susan Ulmer
55		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_21904 Tallapoosa 23 May 1970 Hocking, George M.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UNA00009866 Mobile _ May _ Mohr, Charles
s.n.		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_3218 Bullock 8 May 1949 Orr, William P.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000007910 Pike 05 May 1999 Martin, Brian H.
120		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0047324 Autauga 26 Jun 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1732		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000037806 Autauga 21 Apr 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7162		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0005801 Blount 16 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5325		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
TROY000047868 Autauga 26 Jun 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1732		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
JSU138942 St. Clair 12 May 1983 Whetstone, R. David
13162		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000047864 Autauga 03 May 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1658		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000046772 Autauga 18 May 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
847		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000022590 Covington 31 May 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19355		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_23997 Chilton 20 May 1971 Freeman, John D.
707		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UNA00053786 Blount 13 May 1997 Keener, Brian R.
132		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
SAMF0000978 Mobile 09 Apr 2005 Davenport, Lawrence J.
3160		 SAMF
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0013632 Coosa 12 Jun 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
24197		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0057191 Bibb 19 May 2019 Keener, Brian R.
11205		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_29472 Elmore 11 May 1976 Rutland, David W.
2569		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
UWAL0047300 Autauga 03 May 2018 Parker, Matthew R.
1658		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0016282 Elmore 18 May 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25112		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_61604 Russell 2002 Gil, Glenda
2001-157		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000042481 Conecuh 13 May 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
26339		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000022239 Cherokee 31 May 1968 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0010619 Autauga 21 Apr 2012 Keener, Brian R.
7162		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
TROY000037512 Coosa 12 Jun 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
24197		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
USAM000012947 Mobile 23 Mar 1974 LeLong, Michel G.
7443		 USAM
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0016483 Pike 13 May 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25095		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007903 Coffee 09 Jun 2005 Diamond, Alvin R.
15412		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0049453 Blount 04 Jun 2014 Anderson, Kelly
562		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
UNA00009868 Mobile 1 Mar 1975 Fail, Joseph L.
43		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_19417 Henry 25 May 1971 Moore, Harold D.
1172		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000007911 Pike Johnson, Jason W.
5		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_49100 Coffee 6 May 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
4666		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU138936 Clay 24 May 1973 Whetstone, R. David
RDW-1334		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_44116 Conecuh 10 May 1986 Diamond, Alvin R.
2479		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_49975 Pike 24 May 1988 Diamond, Alvin R.
4851		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU138934 Cherokee 28 May 1968 Clonts, Jerry A.
136		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007908 Pike 09 May 1995 Fries, Patti L.
8		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_44974 Conecuh 11 Jun 1985 Diamond, Alvin R.
812		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU146088 Cleburne 21 May 1992 Hutchinson, Francine
335		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007902 Butler 06 May 2007 Diamond, Alvin R.
17516		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00009870 Bibb 24 May 1979 Creitz, S.J.
38		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
JSU138929 Blount 22 May 1972 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
TROY000007905 Dale 26 May 2000 Pennington, Tiffany
646		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
UWAL0005803 Crenshaw 26 May 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19332		 UWAL
Polygala polygama Walt.
TROY000037721 Coosa 20 May 2013 Diamond, Alvin R.
24071		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
JSU138932 Cherokee 19 Jun 1986 Whetstone, R. David
15145		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
UNA00009872 Autauga 31 May 1980 Meigs, Russell A.
715		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
UNA00009868 Mobile 01 Mar 1975 Fail, Joseph L.
43		 UNA
Polygala polygama Walt.
AUA_ACC_52221 Dale 3 May 1992 Diamond, Alvin R.
8224		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
JSU138941 Marshall 19 May 1992 Spaulding, Daniel D.
1706		 JSU
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA_ACC_35274 Covington 4 May 1979 Crawford, Lloyd C.
S.N.		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000032284 Blount 16 May 2009 Keener, Brian R.
5325		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
AUA000041453 Macon 14 May 2013 Hansen, Curtis J.
5789		 AUA
Polygala Polygama Walt.
TROY000007907 Escambia 21 May 1995 Brittain, Cynthia L.
256		 TROY
Polygala polygama Walter
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