Polygala japonica
Content
Description
Perennial, prostrate or ascending, branched undershrub 10-20 cm high, mostly developing a woody, rhizomatous, erect root crown or stem base.
Leaves ovate to elliptic, the lower ones proportionally broadest, 5-15 by 3-8 mm, sub-sessile, acute, with slightly recurved margin, prominent-reticulate veined, mostly minutely hairy on at least midrib and margin, in transmitted light faintly finely punctate-dotted.
Flowers 5-7 mm long, mauve or purple to deep lavender.
Sepals mucronate, the outer shortly hairy, the alae elliptic, 3-5-nerved.
Ovary broadly obovate, glabrous;
Capsule broader and somewhat shorter than the alae, c. 4-5 by 5 mm, emarginate apically, with a rather wide (c. 1 mm), veined membraneous margin which is apically often wider than basally.
Seeds ± ovoid, at micropylar side with an unequally 3-lobed aril, black, hairy.
Distribution
Asia-Temperate: Korea present; Taiwan (Taiwan present), Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka present), Burma present, E. Australia southwards to NE. Victoria present, E. Siberia present, Japan present, Luzon present, Mindoro present, NE. India present, Ryukyu Is present
NE. India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Indochina, China, Japan, Korea and E. Siberia, also in the Ryukyu Is. and Taiwan, in E. Australia southwards to NE. Victoria; in Malesia: Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro) and New Guinea.
Notes
Closely allied to P. sibirica L., which occurs from Central Europe to Central China and NE. India (Khasya). This differs in the following characters: leaves mostly longer and narrower, ovary orbicular and ciliate, stigmas closer together, capsule oblong with narrower wing.
Citation
BENN. 1872 – In: Fl. Br. India: 205
Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 384
DOMIN 1927 – In: Bibl. Bot.: 855
HOUTT. 1969 – In: Proc. R. Soc. Queensl.: 126
Benth. 1863 – In: Fl. Austr.: 138
DC. 1824 – In: Prod.: 324
YAMAZUTA 1930: List Manch. Pl.: 176
GAGNEP. 1909 – In: Fl. Gén. I.-C.: 255
HORIKAWA 1972 – In: Atlas Jap. Fl.: 155
THOMPSON 1978 – In: Fl. New South Wales: 14
CHODAT 1893 – In: Monogr.: 355
MAKINO 1954: Ill. Fl. Japan: 382
CHODAT 1893 – In: Monogr.: 353
HUI-LIN LI C.S. 1977: p. 558. – In: Fl. Taiwan: f. 726
WALKER 1976: Fl. Okinawa: 623
BURB. 1970: Fl. Austr. Cap. Terr: 244: t. 237
ADEMA 1966: p. 263. – In: Blumea: f. 8
OHWI 1965: Fl. Japan: 587
EWART 1931: Fl. Vict.: 715
WILLIS 1972 – In: Pl. Vict.: 342
MASAMUNE 1934: Yakusima: 263
MERR. & ROLFE 1908 – In: Philip. J. Sc.: Bot. 106
F.M.BAILEY 1899 – In: Queensl. Fl.: 78