e-Flora of Thailand

Volume 7 > Part 3 > Year 2001 > Page 514 > Polygalaceae > Polygala

12. Polygala polifolia C.Preslwfo-0001229597

Rel. Haenk. 2: 101. 1835; Meijden in Fl. Mal. I, 10: 476. 1988. Fig. 53.


Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.



Synonyms & Citations :

Polygala brachystachya DC., Prod. 1: 326. 1824, non Poiret, nom illeg.; Gagnep. in Fl. Gén. I.-C. 1: 256. 1909: in Fl. Gén. I.-C. Suppl. 1: 234. 1939.
Polygala chinensis non L.: Chodat, Monog. 2: 385. 1893; Adema, Blumea 14: 253, fig. 15. 1966.
Polygala telephoides non Willd.: A.W.Benn., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 205. 1872.
Polygala chinensis var. brachystachya non Blume: A.W.Benn., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 204. 1872.


Description : Erect herb, 5–25 cm. Stem terete with dense indumentum of short curved hairs. Leaves oblong, elliptic or narrowly obovate, apex rounded to acute, mucronate, base cuneate, margin inrolled, minutely sparsely pubescent, glaucous below, 0.6–1.6 by 0.2–0.5 cm; petiole with short curled hairs, 0.5 mm. Inflorescence axillary, supra-axillary, or opposite the leaves, with 3–10 flowers, dense, unbranched, glabrous, 0.5–2.0 cm; bracts caducous, ovate, ciliate, 0.6–0.7 mm. Flowers pale blue, darker towards apex, 3–4 mm; pedicel 0.6–1.0 mm. Outer sepals unequal, ovate, caudate, ciliate and minutely sparsely hairy, the lower sepals 1.5–1.7 mm, the upper 1.9–2.6 mm. Alae ovate to somewhat semicircular, the apex sharply pointed, ciliate, minutely sparsely hairy, 3.1–4.0 mm. Upper petals obtriangular, 1.6–1.9 mm, the free parts 1.0–1.4 mm. Keel scarcely auriculate, 3.0–3.4 mm, appendage finely divided, 1.0–1.1 mm. Stamens unequally connate, the two central anthers on separate filaments, the lateral anthers sessile on two bundles of three anthers, 2.5–2.8 mm. Disk absent. Ovary orbicular, minutely hairy towards margin, 0.6–0.7 by 0.5–0.6 mm; style curved, inflated at apex, 1.9–2.2 mm. Capsule orbicular to ovoid, emarginate, 1.8 by 1.9-2.0 mm, wing less than 0.1 mm. Seeds oblong to ovoid, black with short, white hairs, 1.6–1.9 by 0.9–1.0 mm; aril somewhat unequally 3-lobed, the lobes 0.4–0.8 mm.


Thailand : EASTERN: Chaiyaphum; NORTH-EASTERN: Phetchabun, Nong Khai; SOUTH-EASTERN: Prachin Buri; PENINSULAR: Surat Thani, Satun, Songkhla.


Distribution : Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, ?Java, the Philippines, Lesser Sunda Islands, Moluccas, New Guinea, N Australia.


Ecology : Along trails and in open grassy, sometimes seasonally we areas, 0–900 m alt.


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