Polygala cymosa
| Polygala cymosa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photo taken by Gil Nelson | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Polygalaceae |
| Genus: | Polygala |
| Species: | P. cymosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Polygala cymosa Walter | |
| |
| Natural range of Polygala cymosa from USDA NRCS Plants Database. | |
Common name: Tall pinebarren milkwort
Contents
Taxonomic notes
Synonyms: Pilostaxis cymosa (Walter) Small; Pylostachya cymosa (Walter) Small
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. ramose. Stems usually solitary from a rosette, 4-12 dm tall. Basal leaves lanceolate to linear, 4-7 cm long, 3-7 mm wide, rapidly reduced upward. Sepals rounded to an abrupt acute apex, wings oblanceolate to nearly spatulate, 3-3.5 mm long; corolla with 2 clavate lobes at the apex equaling the wings. Seeds purplish black to grayish brown, glabrous and finely reticulate, ovoid, 0.6-0.8 mm long; aril obsolete." [1]
Distribution
P. cymosa is found throughout the southeast coastal plain from North Carolina to Louisiana.[2]
Ecology
Habitat
P. cymosa is an obligate wetland plant and occurs in habitats such as cypress depressions, pine flatwoods, and depressional wetlands. [3] Associated taxa include Aristida, Hypericum, Dichromena, Sarracenia, Drosera, Eriocaulon, and Pinguicula.[4]
Phenology
Flowers April through July.[4]
Seed dispersal
Seeds have an elaiosome, therefore the seeds are dispersed by ants.[5]
Pollination
The following Hymenoptera families and species were observed visiting flowers of Polygala cymosa at Archbold Biological Station: [6]
Megachilidae: Megachile brevis pseudobrevis
Conservation and management
Cultivation and restoration
Photo Gallery
References and notes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ [[1]] Native Florida Wildflowers. Accessed: February 21, 2016
- ↑ Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: November 2015. Collectors: Bob Fewster, Robert K. Godfrey, Marc Minno, R.A. Norris, Cecil R. Slaughter. States and Counties: Florida: Flagler, Franklin, Gilchrist. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 [[2]] Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed: February 21, 2016
- ↑ [[3]] Treasure Coast Natives. Accessed: February 21, 2016
- ↑ Deyrup, M.A. and N.D. 2015. Database of observations of Hymenoptera visitations to flowers of plants on Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA.
