Polygalaceae
Milkwort Family
Polygala verticillata L.
- Stem: annual; about 6” tall; many branches; sprawling; smooth.
- Leaves: whorled; usually five leaves, ranging from three to five, at each node; elongate, 1” by 1/16”; sessile; smooth.
- Inflorescence: raceme, 3/8” long; on short flower stalks, from the upper nodes.
- Flowers: corolla white, 1/16” long; calyx of separate sepals, 1/32” long, green with white margins; flowering from mid-July to late August.
- Fruits: capsule develops within the corollas; 1/16” long with prominent lines on the surface; fruiting begins in late July.
- Habitat: infrequent on dry, sandy, and Loess Hills prairies; also in barren soil, moist swales, and open woods.
- Notes: Some inflorescences flower over a period of more than a month, producing new flowers at the tip while mature fruits drop from the bottom. This species resembles Galium (bedstraw), but the inflorescence and flowers are completely different, making identification easier. Also, this milkwort is often overlooked because of its small stature.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
Can be found in these counties:
