Polygala abyssinica R.Br. ex Fresen.

First published in Mus. Senckenberg. 2: 273 (1837)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Tropical Africa to N. Tanzania, Arabian Peninsula, E. Afghanistan to Indian Subcontinent. It is a perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Distribution

Native to:

Afghanistan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gulf States, India, Kenya, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Socotra, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, West Himalaya, Yemen

Classification

Kew's Tree of Life Explorer

Discover the flowering plant tree of life and the genomic data used to build it.

View the Tree of Life
PAFTOL

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Edwards, S., Tadesse, M., Demissew, S. & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (2000). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 2(1): 1-532. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Ghazanfar, S.A. (1992). An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Oman and their Vernacular names. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2: 1-153.
  • Hara, H., Stearn, W.T. & Williams, H.J. (1979). An Enumeration of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 2: 1-220. Trustees of British Museum, London.
  • Jongbloed, M., Western, R.A. & Boer, B. (2000). Annotated Check-list for plants in the U.A.E.: 1-90. Zodiac Publishing, Dubai.
  • Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.
  • Kumar, S. (2012). Herbaceous flora of Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarkhand), India: enumerations. Phytotaxonomy 12: 33-56.
  • Llewellyn, O.A., Hall, M., Miller, A.G., Al-Abbasi, T.M., Al-Wetaid, A.H., Al-Harbi, R.J. & Al-Shammari, K.F. (2011). Important plant areas in the Arabian peninsula: 4. Jabal Aja. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68: 199-224.
  • Mao, A.A. & Dash, S.S. (2020). Flowering Plants of India an Annotated Checklist (Dicotyledons) 1: 1-970. Botanical Survey of India.
  • Mehboob-ur-Rahman (2012). Wild plants of Swat, Pakistan 1: 1-281. Department of botany, govt. Jehanzeb post graduate college.
  • Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
  • Nasir, E. & Ali, S.I. (eds.) (1970-1995). Flora of West Pakistan 1-131.
  • Paiva, j. (2007). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Polygalaceae: 1-60.
  • Thulin, M. (ed.) (1993). Flora of Somalia 1: 1-493. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Chrtek, J. & Křísa, B. (1977). Flora Iranica 124: 1-11. Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, Graz.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Edwards, S., Tadesse, M., Demissew, S. & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (2000). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 2(1): 1-532. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Ghazanfar, S.A. (1992). An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Oman and their Vernacular names. Scripta Botanica Belgica 2: 1-153.
  • Hara, H., Stearn, W.T. & Williams, H.J. (1979). An Enumeration of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 2: 1-220. Trustees of British Museum, London.
  • Jongbloed, M., Western, R.A. & Boer, B. (2000). Annotated Check-list for plants in the U.A.E.: 1-90. Zodiac Publishing, Dubai.
  • Kumar, S. (2012). Herbaceous flora of Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarkhand), India: enumerations. Phytotaxonomy 12: 33-56.
  • Llewellyn, O.A., Hall, M., Miller, A.G., Al-Abbasi, T.M., Al-Wetaid, A.H., Al-Harbi, R.J. & Al-Shammari, K.F. (2011). Important plant areas in the Arabian peninsula: 4. Jabal Aja. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 68: 199-224.
  • Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
  • Paiva, j. (2007). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Polygalaceae: 1-60.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flora of Somalia

  • Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Blundell, Wild Fl.  E Africa t. 717 (1978)
  • Fl. Eth. 2, 1: 185, t. 24.4/3–5 (2000).
  • Fontqueria 50: 258, t. 48/g-i (1998)
  • Mus. Senckenb. 2: 273 (1837)
  • Thulin, Fl. Somalia 1: 86 (1993)
  • U.K.W.F. ed. 2: 55 (1994)

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jan 1, 1977 Schimper [1109] Ethiopia K000231541 Unknown Type Material Yes
O'Hagan [s.n.] Kenya K003730607 Yes
Gillett, J.B. [4517] Somalia K003078853 No
Ash, J. [2051] Ethiopia K003078887 No
Glover; Gwynne; Samuel [1305] Kenya K003730613 Yes
Beccari, O. [227] Ethiopia K003078874 No
Mesfin; Sebsebe [3792-3806] Ethiopia K003078871 No
Gillett, J.B. [5013] Ethiopia K003078898 No
Gilbert, M.G.; Getachew, A. [A 2638] Ethiopia K003078860 No
Dummer, R.A. [5089] Kenya K003730594 Yes
Gilbert, M.G. [4031] Ethiopia K003078897 No
Greenway, P.J. [11769] Kenya K003730601 Yes
Mooney, H.F. [8914] Ethiopia K003078892 No
{W. J. J. O. de Wilde; de Wilde-Duyfjes, B.E.E.; de Wilde, W.} [8286] Ethiopia K003078891 No
Bally [7945] Kenya K003730611 Yes
Lort Phillips [K44] Somalia K003078858 No
s.coll. [602] Yemen K001634397 No
Gilbert, M.G.; Getachew, A. [3101] Ethiopia K003078883 No
Eyles, F. [8842] Zimbabwe K:SPC-09018.000 No
Verdcourt, B. [622] Kenya K003730602 Yes
Friis, I.; Lock, M.; Egiru, L. [10135] Ethiopia K003078878 No
Tadesse, M.; Kagnew, G.Y. [[1618-1652]] Ethiopia K003078862 No
Schimper, M.W. [791] Ethiopia K003078864 No
Massey, R.E. [30] Ethiopia K003078866 No
Elliott, G.F.S. [6689] Kenya K003730604 Yes
{W. J. J. O. de Wilde; de Wilde-Duyfjes, B.E.E.; de Wilde, W.} [10881] Ethiopia K003078894 No
Friis, I.; Gilbert, M.G.; Rasmussen, F.; K. Vollesen [916] Ethiopia K003078900 No
Mooney, H.F. [5057] Ethiopia K003078889 No
Gilbert, M.G. [2230] Ethiopia K003078886 No
Luke, W.R.Q. [3001] Kenya K003730609 Yes
Greenway, P.J.; Kanuri [13275] Tanzania K003730617 Yes
Bally, P.R.O. [11852] Somalia K003078850 No
Friis, I.; Bidgood, G.S.; Melaku, W.; Ermias Getachew [10796] Ethiopia K003078880 No
Richards, M. [24156] Tanzania K003730622 Yes
Bally, P.R.O. [B7335] Somalia K003078848 No
{J. J. F. E. de Wilde; Gilbert, M.G.} [227] Ethiopia K003078881 No
Scott Elliot, G.F. [6177] Kenya K003730593 Yes
Glover; Gwynne; Samuel [1652] Kenya K003730614 Yes
Gilbert, M.G.; Thulin, M. [941] Ethiopia K003078893 No
Bally, P.R.O.; Melville, R. [16005] Somalia K003078852 No
Quartin Dillon; Petit [s.n.] Ethiopia K003078869 No
Gillett, J.B.; Watson, R.M. [23830] Somalia K003078851 No
Friis, I.; Bidgood, G.S.; Melaku, W.; Ermias Getachew [10441] Ethiopia K003078879 No
[Hendner] [1461] Ethiopia K003078865 No
Burger, W. [2428] Ethiopia K003078899 No
Polhill, E. [73] Kenya K003730599 Yes
Hemsted, H. [772] Kenya K003730595 Yes
Cole, E. [s.n.] Somalia K003078847 No
Gillett, J.B. [4882] Somalia K003078855 No
Bally, P.R.O. [11748] Somalia K003078845 No
Colville, J.W. [K8] Eritrea K003078870 No
Lort Phillips [K43] Somalia K003078857 No
Raynal, J. [19427] Tanzania K003730621 Yes
Ironside Wood, J.R. [S/72/145] Somalia K003078854 No
Renvoize, S.A.; Abdallah, R.A. [2390] Tanzania K003730618 Yes
Ryding, O. [1318] Eritrea K003078872 No
Gilbert, M.G.; Getachew, A. [2803] Ethiopia K003078859 No
Mooney, H.F. [8148] Ethiopia K003078888 No
de Wilde, J.J.F.E. [4205] Ethiopia K003078896 No
Verdcourt, B. [1475] Kenya K003730603 Yes
Gilbert, M.G. [5039-5040] Kenya K003730608 Yes
Ash, J. [2051] Ethiopia K003078884 No
Drake-Brockman [458] Somalia K003078844 No
Gilbert, M.G. [4705] Kenya K003730596 Yes
s.coll. [H-13] Ethiopia K003078895 No
Ash, J. [2686] Ethiopia K003078885 No
Thomas, A.S. [Th3314] Uganda K003730591 Yes
Haarer, A.E. [278] Tanzania K003730616 Yes
Verdcourt [3584] Kenya K003730600 Yes
Parkyns, M. [s.n.] Ethiopia K003078867 No
Drake-Brockman [185] Somalia K003078846 No
Friis, I.; Bidgood, G.S.; Melaku, W.; Ermias Getachew [10703] Ethiopia K003078876 No
Tadesse, M.; Kagnew, G.Y. [s.n.] Ethiopia K003078861 No
{W. J. J. O. de Wilde; de Wilde-Duyfjes, B.E.E.; de Wilde, W.} [8651] Ethiopia K003078890 No
Friis, I.; Bidgood, G.S.; Host, P.; Melaku, W.; Shigulte, K. [7042] Ethiopia K003078882 No
Hillier, R.G. [920] Ethiopia K003078863 No
Newbould, J.G.B. [1043] Somalia K003078849 No
Curle, C.N. [63] Somalia K003078856 No
Glover; Gwynne; Samuel [1218] Kenya K003730612 Yes
Scott Elliot, G.F. [6790] Kenya K003730605 Yes
Bally, P.R.O. [B8984] Kenya K003730610 Yes
Wilson, J. [828] Uganda K003730592 Yes
Dowson, W.J. [650] Kenya K003730597 Yes
Gilbert, M.G. [s.n.] Kenya K003730606 Yes
{Chojnacki in Mooney} [7469] Eritrea K003078875 No
Schweinfurth, G.; Riva, D. [1874] Eritrea K003078873 No
Well, O. [5886] Kenya K003730590 Yes
[Robert] [135] Ethiopia K003078868 No
Richards, H.M. (Mrs.) [21779] Tanzania K003730619 Yes
Napier, E.R. [198] Kenya K003730598 Yes
Friis, I.; Lock, M.; Egiru, L. [10135] Ethiopia K003078877 No
Greenway, P.J. [4416] Tanzania K003730615 Yes
Richards, H.M. (Mrs.) [21779] Tanzania K003730620 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0