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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Polygala ramosa (Low pinebarren milkwort)
Cressler, Alan

Polygala ramosa

Polygala ramosa Elliott

Low Pinebarren Milkwort, Yellow Savanna Milkwort

Polygalaceae (Milkwort Family)

Synonym(s): Polygala balduinii var. chlorgena, Pylostachya ramosa

USDA Symbol: PORA2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Yellow Savanna Milkwort grows 6-20 inches tall, with leaves 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide. Flower clusters are numerous on short branches near the end of the stem, giving the plant a flat top of bright yellow. Flowers are less than 1/8 inch long. Roots exude a spicy fragrance.

Other species of milkwort with flat-topped clusters include Tall Milkwort (P. cymosa), a larger plant to 4' (1.2 m) tall with yellow flowers and narrow, mostly basal leaves, and Baldwin's Milkwort (P. balduinii), also known as White Bachelor's Button, with white flowers; both species are found in the southeastern United States.

 

From the Image Gallery

9 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Grows 6-20 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: AL , DE , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , NJ , SC , TX , VA
Native Distribution: Maryland south to Florida and west to Texas.
Native Habitat: Marshes, pine-barren swamps, and low ground.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL FACW OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS
Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Bibliography

Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Polygala ramosa in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Polygala ramosa in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Polygala ramosa

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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