polygala

Polygala
Polygala vulgaris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Polygalaceae
Genus:	Polygala L.
Species
See text.

Polygala is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Polygalaceae, commonly known as milkwort or snakeroot. The genus includes herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs and small trees, and has a subcosmopolitan distribution.

Species

Polygala species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Large Grizzled Skipper.

Selected species

• Polygala alba - White Milkwort
• Polygala alpestris - Alpine Milkwort
• Polygala amara - Bitter Milkwort
• Polygala amarella - Dwarf Milkwort
• Polygala apopetala
• Polygala arillata
• Polygala calcarea - Chalk Milkwort
• Polygala chamaebuxus - Shrubby Milkwort
• Polygala comosa - Tufted Milkwort
• Polygala cowellii - Tortuguero
• Polygala lutea - Yellow Milkwort
• Polygala major
• Polygala myrtifolia
• Polygala nicaeensis - Nice Milkwort
• Polygala paucifolia - Fringed Milkwort
• Polygala senega - Senega Root
• Polygala serpyllifolia - Thyme-leaved Milkwort
• Polygala tenuifolia - Yuan Zhi in Chinese (Chinese: 遠志)
• Polygala vayredae
• Polygala virgata
• Polygala vulgaris - Common Milkwort

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Polygala

Gallery

Polygala elongata in Hyderabad, India.

Polygala elongata in Hyderabad, India.

Polygala elongata in Hyderabad, India.

Polygala elongata in Hyderabad, India.

Polygala sp. growing on chalk in Wiltshire, UK. Either Common or Chalk milkwort.

Polygala sp. growing on chalk in Wiltshire, UK. Most of the plants in the vicinity were blue flowered: this was an exception. Either Common or Chalk milkwort.