POLYGALACEAE - MILKWORT FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Herbs or subshrubs. Leaves usually alternate, simple, exstipulate. Flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic. Sepals 5, free, the two inner sepals larger than the three outer, petaloid. Petals 3, united. Stamens 8, monadelphous for at least half their length. Anthers opening by pores. Ovary 2-celled. Fruit a 2-seeded capsule. Seeds hairy with a conspicuous strophiole or aril.
Reference:
Davis PH (1965). Polygalaceae, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 1: 533.
Public Description:
“Milkwort Family” includes species that are widespread in warm and temperate countries, consisting of annual or perennial herbs, subshrubs, shrubs, trees or lianas, but not very common in the northern and southern regions of the world. The word "Polygala" which gives the name to the family means "much milk" in Latin. In the past, this name was given because it was believed that cattle gave more milk when fed with this plant.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/South_African_Plant_Families/key/, Accessed date: 07.04.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Polygala.html/ Accessed date: 07.04.2016.
Anonymous 3 (2016). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=polygalaceae/ Accessed date: 07.04.2016.
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