Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae

Polygalaceae - Milkwort family

Exell, A.W. (1960) Polygalaceae FZ 1(1)

Leistner, O.A. (2005) Seed plants of southern tropical Africa: families and genera SABONET Report No. 26 SABONET, Pretoria

Description of the family

Small trees, shrubs or perennial or annual herbs. Stipules usually 0, but sometimes present and if so, small and gland-like. Leaves alternate (in ours), simple, entire. Sepals 5; two lateral ones often petal-like (wings); two anterior ones sometimes joined. Petals 3-5. Stamens 5-8; filaments usually united in a slit tube. Ovary superior, 1- or 2-locular. Fruit (in ours) a capsule or a samara.

Worldwide: 17 genera and 950 species, ± cosmopolitan, but not in the W Pacific.

Polygala africana

More sample images from the Polygalaceae (Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record)

Polygala africana

Polygala africana

Polygala hottentotta

Polygala hottentotta

Polygala petitiana subsp. petitiana var. petitiana

Polygala petitiana subsp. petitiana var. petitiana

Polygala sphenoptera

Polygala sphenoptera

Securidaca longipedunculata

Securidaca longipedunculata

Links to genera:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

GenusContent
Carpolobia G. DonDescription
Muraltia DC.Description
Polygala L.Description, Image
Securidaca L.Description, Image

Key to Genera

Display key

Other sources of information about Polygalaceae:

Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Polygalaceae page
Flora of Mozambique: Polygalaceae
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Polygalaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings, 2002-13

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. & Ballings, P. (2013). Flora of Zimbabwe: Family page: Polygalaceae.
http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=180, retrieved 19 May 2013

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