Polygala brevifolia
 |
Britton & Brown |
| Botanical name: | Polygala brevifolia |
| Common name: | shortleaf milkwort |
| Group: | dicot |
| Family: | Polygalaceae |
| Growth type: | forb/herb |
| Duration: | annual |
| Origin: | native |
| Plant height: | 3 - 12" |
| Foliage: | leaves linear or narrowly oval, opposite near top of stem, then in irregular whorls of 3 to 5 lower on the stem. |
| Flower: | dull pink, small flowers, 3 petals with 2 lateral triangular petals, in a blunt raceme; wings oval and broader toward the tip |
| Flowering time: | July to September |
| Habitat: | dry, sandy areas, barrens |
| Heritage ranking, if any: | n/a |
| Distribution: |  |
| Misc. | Similar to P. cruciata, but P. cruciata has larger, more compacted flower heads, with shorter flower stalks to almost sessile to first set of leaves.
This plant is at the northern portion of its range in New Jersey. Stone, in 1910 says "Common...in the Pine Barren district, but elsewhere found only in Secaucus Swamp, Hudson County, and one or two stations in West Jersey, all of them outlying "Pine Barren islands" (521-522). |