5. POLYGALOIDES Haller, Hist. Stirp. Helv. 1: 149. 1768.
[Genus Polygala and Latin -oides, resembling]
Chamaebuxus (de Candolle) Spach; Polygala Linnaeus sect. Chamaebuxus de Candolle; Polygala subg. Chamaebuxus (de Candolle) Duchesne
Herbs, perennial, usually multi-stemmed. Stems creeping, with short erect shoots, or decumbent, rhizomatous or stoloniferous, usually glabrous. Leaves alternate; petiolate or subsessile; dimorphic, bractlike proximally, well-developed, uniform and somewhat clustered distally; blade surfaces glabrous or pubescent. Inflorescences terminal, racemes or appearing corymblike or 1–4(or 5)-flowered (from poorly developed peduncle); peduncle usually present; bracts deciduous. Pedicels present. Flowers usually pink or rose-purple, rarely white, sepals pale pink or whitish, crest often yellowish, (2–)15–23 mm, cleistogamous sometimes present; sepals deciduous, glabrous; wings deciduous, (10–)13–20 mm, glabrous; keel crested, crest 2-parted, with 2–4 lobes on each side, glabrous; stamens 6(–8) in chasmogamous flowers, fewer in cleistogamous flowers, not grouped; ovary 2-loculed. Fruits capsules, dehiscent, margins narrowly winged apically, glabrous. Seeds pubescent, arillate.
Species 6 or 7 (1 in the flora): North America, Europe, n Africa.
