Spermatophyta: Dicotyledonae: Archichlamydeae

Polygalaceae - Milkwort family

Literature

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.

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Links to genera: (3)

GenusContent
Carpolobia G. DonDescription
Polygala L.Description
Securidaca L.Description

Other sources of information about Polygalaceae:

GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Polygalaceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar


Copyright: Mark Hyde and Bart Wursten, 2007-10

Hyde, M.A. & Wursten, B. (2010). Flora of Mozambique: Family page: Polygalaceae.
http://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=180, retrieved 3 September 2010

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