Polygala vulgaris

Herbs short-lived perennial, usually multi-stemmed, rarely with 1 or few stems, 1.5–4 dm, unbranched or branched distally; from small, thickened, woody caudex. Stems erect to decumbent, pubescent or subglabrous, hairs incurved. Leaves alternate; sessile or subsessile; blade narrowly oblanceolate-spatulate to elliptic or lanceolate, 5–35 × 1–5 mm, base cuneate, apex rounded or acute, surfaces glabrous. Racemes broadly cylindric, usually elongate, 0.5–2.5(–9) × 0.5–2 cm; peduncle usually poorly developed, 0.2–1.5(–2.5) cm; peduncle and central axis pubescent; bracts deciduous, lanceolate. Pedicels 1.5–4(–5.8) mm, glabrous. Flowers blue, pink, or white, 5–8 mm; sepals ovate to elliptic, 1.6–3.5 mm, pubescent; wings obovate, 3–5 × 2–3 mm, apex obtuse to bluntly rounded; keel 5–8 mm, crest 2-parted, with 2–4 lobes on each side. Capsules broadly ellipsoid, ovoid, or slightly obovoid, (3–)4–6 × 2.5–4 mm, margins narrowly winged, rim 0.2–0.4 mm wide. Seeds 3.2–4.2 mm, pubescent; aril 1–1.7 mm, lobes 1/2 length of seed. 2n = 24–32, 34, 38, ca. 56, 68, ca. 70.

Phenology: Flowering spring–mid summer.
Habitat: Dry hillsides near dunes, meadows, grassy roadsides, disturbed areas.
Elevation: 0–400 m.

Introduced; B.C., Mich., Oreg., Wash., Europe, Asia.

Discussion

A 1947 specimen of Polygala vulgaris from Vancouver Island (at V) reported this species as apparently naturalized (H. J. Scoggan 1978–1979, part 3). Two other collections (both at V) are known from nearby, at Comox in 1941 and on Texada Island in 1999, the latter with approximately 150 clumps, according to the collector. Polygala vulgaris appears to be naturalized, at least locally, along the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia. The Michigan collections (MICH) are from 1916 and 1974 from different counties, suggesting that P. vulgaris may be sparsely naturalized in Michigan or just a casual waif. In Oregon, there are six collections (OSC, WTU) from 1950 to 2018 from three different counties, documenting a long-term presence. There is a single collection (WTU) from 2014 from Clark County, Washington. This taxon seems naturalized in North America, at least in British Columbia, Oregon, and probably Washington.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa