Polygalaceae
Milkwort Family
Polygala senega L.
- Stem: perennial; about 1’ tall; sometimes several stems from one root crown; finely hairy.
- Leaves: alternate; oval with short-tapered bases and long-tapered tips; 1 1/4” by 1/4”, smaller toward the base of the stem; sessile; finely serrated margins; slightly hairy below.
- Inflorescence: raceme, 1/2” to 1” long; flowering from bottom to top.
- Flowers: corolla white, 1/8” long; calyx petal-like, 1/32” long; flowering from mid-May to late June.
- Fruits: capsules, roundish, 1/8” in diameter, hairy; fruiting begins in late May.
- Habitat: infrequent in dry, open woods and woodland openings to sandy and upland prairies; most common in northeast Iowa; becoming more infrequent to the west and south.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
