Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_3951.JPG-06-16-2020
Flower name (scientific): Polygala polygama Walter PY: 1788. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) pol-ee-GAH-luh (or pol-IG-a-la) pol-ee-GAM-ah
Flower name (common): Racemed Milkwort
Family name (common): Milkwort
Family name (scientific): Polygalaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From the Greek polys for many or much and gala for milk, referencing the assumption that cattle fed on this species gave incresed milk yields.
    Specific epithet: Having male, female, or hermaphrodite (bisexual) flowers.
Common name origin: Racemed refers to a type of inflorescence with pedicillate flowers. Milkwort a compounding of milk + wort. It was previously assumed that lactation in nursing mothers would be improved by consumption of milkwort plants.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches (0.5 to 1.0 cm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: pink or red
     Other: flower arrangement, Raceme
Plant description:
     Size: 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 3 cm long and 6 mm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, narrowly oblong or narrowly oblong-oblanceolate (IL)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon
Bloom time (typical): June to August
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Biennial
Habitat: Prairies, sandy fields, woodland openings, sun or part shade, dry.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Polygala paucifolia (Gaywings, Fringed Polygala) has a resemblance, but its flowers are about twice the size of those of Polygala polygama.
Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes fromWisconsin. The Montagnais used the plant to prepare a cough medicine (Moerman, p. 421, 1998).
Latitude: 44.796063
Longitude: -91.513650
Altitude: 279.70
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Monroe, Oconto, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (NS, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na
Wetland Status (NC): FACU
Wetland Status (MW): FACU