Difference between revisions of "Polygala nana"

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(Conservation and Management)
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==Ecology==
 
==Ecology==
 
===Habitat=== <!--Natural communities, human disturbed habitats, topography, hydrology, soils, light, fire regime requirements for removal of competition, etc.-->
 
===Habitat=== <!--Natural communities, human disturbed habitats, topography, hydrology, soils, light, fire regime requirements for removal of competition, etc.-->
This species has been found in open, well-drained wiregrass-pine flatwoods and interdune swales growing on both dry and moist sands (FSU Herbarium). Observed species in sandhill longleaf pine habitat that has 1 to 3 year fire return intervals. Also seen near a cypress pond, about 1 to 2 feet from water’s edge of Pebble Hill Plantation C plots. (Michelle M. Smith – early summer 2014 and 2015).''P. nana'' has also been found growing along the sides of highways and in the wetlands of clear cut areas (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include ''Pinus palustris'' and ''Aristida stricta'' (FSU Herbarium).
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This species has been found in open, well-drained wiregrass-pine flatwoods and interdune swales growing on both dry and moist sands. <ref name="FSU Herbarium">Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: [http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu]. Last accessed: July 2015.  Collectors: : Loran C. Anderson, Leon Neel, R. A. Norris, Robert K. Godfrey, Walter Kittredge, R. Komarek, Lisa Keppner. States and Counties: Florida: Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Washington. Georgia: Grady, Thomas. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.</ref> Observed species in sandhill longleaf pine habitat that has 1 to 3 year fire return intervals. Also seen near a cypress pond, about 1 to 2 feet from water’s edge of Pebble Hill Plantation C plots. (Michelle M. Smith – early summer 2014 and 2015).''P. nana'' has also been found growing along the sides of highways and in the wetlands of clear cut areas. <ref name="FSU Herbarium"/> Associated species include ''Pinus palustris'' and ''Aristida stricta.'' <ref name="FSU Herbarium"/>
  
 
===Phenology=== <!--Timing off flowering, fruiting, seed dispersal, and environmental triggers.  Cite PanFlora website if appropriate: http://www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ -->
 
===Phenology=== <!--Timing off flowering, fruiting, seed dispersal, and environmental triggers.  Cite PanFlora website if appropriate: http://www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/ -->
Flowers in April (FSU Herbarium).
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Flowers in April. <ref name="FSU Herbarium"/>
  
 
===Seed dispersal===
 
===Seed dispersal===
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==References and notes==
 
==References and notes==
Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: [http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu]. Last accessed: July 2015.  Collectors: : Loran C. Anderson, Leon Neel, R. A. Norris, Robert K. Godfrey, Walter Kittredge, R. Komarek, Lisa Keppner. States and Counties: Florida: Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Washington. Georgia: Grady, Thomas. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
 

Revision as of 08:19, 8 August 2016

Polygala nana
Polygala nana Gil.jpg
Photo taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order: Polygalales
Family: Polygalaceae
Genus: Polygala
Species: P. nana
Binomial name
Polygala nana
(Michx.) DC.
POLY NANA dist.jpg
Natural range of Polygala nana from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: candyroot

Taxonomic notes

Synonyms: Pilostaxis nana (Michaux) Rafinesque; Pylostachya nana (Michaux) Rafinesque

Description

"Herbs, whorled or alternate rarely opposite, entire leaves. Flowers lavender, pink, white or yellow, in racemes or spikes, terminating the branches or in terminal corymbs. Flowers perfect, zygomorphic, with 3 small sepals, frequently one of these slightly larger than the others, and 2 larger petaloid sepals (wigs). The 3 petals are united into a tube, 3-lobed at apex, the 2 lateral lobes usually the longer, the center lobe usually lacerate, often thicker in texture; stamens 6-8, united to the corolla tube in 2 rows. Capsule 2 –locular, with one seed in each locule. Seeds dark brown or black, ellipsoid or ovoid, rarely globose, 0.5-3 mm long, usually densely pubescent. The genus has been divided into several genera none of which have distinct characteristics. Orange flowers turn pale yellow on drying, yellow ones bluish green; the pink or lavender ones remain the same color or fade slightly." [1]

"Similar to P. lutea. 3-15 cm tall, with leaves mostly confined to a basal rosette; stem leaves few. Flowers lemon yellow. Wings 7-8 mm long, long acuminate." [1]

Distribution

Ecology

Habitat

This species has been found in open, well-drained wiregrass-pine flatwoods and interdune swales growing on both dry and moist sands. [2] Observed species in sandhill longleaf pine habitat that has 1 to 3 year fire return intervals. Also seen near a cypress pond, about 1 to 2 feet from water’s edge of Pebble Hill Plantation C plots. (Michelle M. Smith – early summer 2014 and 2015).P. nana has also been found growing along the sides of highways and in the wetlands of clear cut areas. [2] Associated species include Pinus palustris and Aristida stricta. [2]

Phenology

Flowers in April. [2]

Seed dispersal

According to Kay Kirkman, a plant ecologist, this species disperses by explosion mechanisms or by ants. [3]

Conservation and management

Cultivation and restoration

Photo Gallery

References and notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 660. Print.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: July 2015. Collectors: : Loran C. Anderson, Leon Neel, R. A. Norris, Robert K. Godfrey, Walter Kittredge, R. Komarek, Lisa Keppner. States and Counties: Florida: Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Washington. Georgia: Grady, Thomas. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
  3. Kay Kirkman, unpublished data, 2015.