Polygalaceae
Milkwort Family
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 ↓
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.
Which Polygalaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Polygalaceae species.
To check whether a plant belongs to Polygalaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.
Learn the full family-identification methodTypical leaf characters
- ArrangementVariable
- TypeVariable
- MarginVariable
- VenationVariable
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryZygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- InflorescenceVariable
- FruitDrupe
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
Families that can look similar
Fabaceae
Compare against Fabaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare FabaceaeCaesalpiniaceae
Compare against Caesalpiniaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare CaesalpiniaceaeVerbenaceae
Compare against Verbenaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare VerbenaceaeMimosaceae
Compare against Mimosaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare MimosaceaeAll 9 species in POLYGALACEAE
- Yellow MilkwortPolygala arillata
- Field MilkwortPolygala arvensis
- Common Polygala, Indian MilkwortPolygala chinensis
- Narrow-Leaved MilkwortPolygala elongata
- Woolly-Winged MilkwortPolygala erioptera
- Java MilkwortPolygala javana
- Knotweed Leaved MilkwortPolygala persicariifolia
- Oblong-Leaf SalomoniaSalomonia ciliata
- Polygala wightiana
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