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Botanical Family · Fabales

Polygalaceae

Milkwort Family

9 speciesOrder Fabales8+ well-known plants

The Polygalaceae family (Milkwort Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Fabales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 9 species across 2 genera. Its members are predominantly herbs. Well-represented genera include Polygala and Salomonia. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Yellow Milkwort, Field Milkwort and Common Polygala.

Browse all 9 species ↓
Representative POLYGALACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Polygalaceae
Key pattern

Simple leaves on herbs and shrubs; bilaterally symmetrical flowers mimic a pea-like shape with two petal-like sepals forming showy 'wings' flanking a keeled, fringed lower petal, ripening into a small capsule or drupe.

The pea-flower resemblance is a case of convergent evolution — despite looking like a legume, the showy 'wings' are actually modified sepals, not petals.

Identify the species

Which Polygalaceae species is this?

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Typical leaf characters

  • ArrangementVariable
  • TypeVariable
  • MarginVariable
  • VenationVariable

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Yellow MilkwortPolygala arillataField MilkwortPolygala arvensisCommon Polygala, Indian MilkwortPolygala chinensisNarrow-Leaved MilkwortPolygala elongataWoolly-Winged MilkwortPolygala eriopteraJava MilkwortPolygala javanaKnotweed Leaved MilkwortPolygala persicariifoliaOblong-Leaf SalomoniaSalomonia ciliata

All 9 species in POLYGALACEAE

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