Polygala paniculata L.

Family

Polygalaceae

Synonyms

None

Vernacular Names

Geographical Distributions

Polygala paniculata is native to tropical America, from Mexico to Brazil; in the 17th Century. It was introduced into central tropical Africa, Indo-Australia and the Pacific Islands, including Southeast Asia, and now abundantly naturalised.

Description

Polygala paniculata is an annual, erect, much-branch­ed, glandulous herb that can grow up to 50 cm tall.

The leaves are lance­-shaped to linear-Iance-shaped, measure 5-20 mm x 1-4 mm and acute at apex. The lower leaves are in pseudo-whorls. The raceme is axillary or terminal and 5-12 cm long. The bracts and bracteoles are early cauducous.

The flowers are 1.5-2 mm long, with lance-shaped sepals, obtuse and with weakly 3-veined wings. The upper petals are lance-shaped, whitish, often purple­ tinged, with non-eared keel and 2 bundles of 6 appendages approximately. The filaments are joined except for the uppermost part.

The ovary is orbicular, with straight style, subapically curved and widened in an asymmetrical and wide cup. The upper side is with a hair tuft while the inner side is with a stigmatic lobe. The capsule is a lit­tle longer than the wings. It is elliptical, 2 mm long, notched and not winged. The seed is oblong, where its micropilar side is with a deeply 2-fid aril, black and hairy.

Ecology / Cultivation

Polygala paniculata occurs in waste places, plantations and fields, on different soils, avoiding dry areas, often abun­dant, and from sea level up to 2250 m altitude.

Line Drawing / Photograph

References

1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.