Polygalaceae
Polygala

Polygala conosperma Bojer

First published in Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 2, 4: 266 (1835)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Kenya to NE. Tanzania (incl. Zanzibar). It is a perennial or annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Polygalaceae, Jorge Paiva. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2007

Type
Type: Kenya, Mombasa, Hildebrandt 1925 (B†, holo.; P!, lecto.; BREM!, K!, M!, W!, isolecto.)
Morphology General Habit
Perennial or annual herb, 30–100 cm tall
Morphology Stem
Stems erect, simple or few-branched, striate, glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, shortly petiolate (petiole 0.5–1 mm), linear, 25–60 × 0.5–1 mm, mucronate, base cuneate, margin revolute, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pale red or yellowish, in lax terminal racemes 10–30 cm long; rachis glabrous; bracts linearlanceolate, 2–2.5 mm long, ciliate; bracteoles linear, 0.7–0.8 mm long, ciliate; pedicels 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Posterior sepal ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, ciliate; wing sepals obovate-elliptic, 4–4.5 × 2.5 mm, 3–5-veined from the base, glabrous, persistent; anterior sepals 1–1.5 mm long, ciliate, connate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Upper petals obovate-spathulate, 4.5–5 × 1.5–2 mm; carina 3.5–4 × 1.5–1.8 mm; crest 1 mm long, fimbriate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 6 fertile with 2 staminodes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule obovate-elliptic in outline, 3.5 × 2–2.2 mm, slightly asymmetric-bilobate, glabrous, very narrowly winged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds obovoid-ellipsoid, 3–3.5 × 1.5 mm, with white silky hairs; caruncle almost symmetric, oblong kidney-shaped, 1 mm long; appendages 0.2 mm long
Figures
Fig 10: 3, p 18
Ecology
Edges of wooded grassland, secondary grassland not far from the coast; 0–10 m
Distribution
Flora districts: K7 T3 Z not known elsewhere
[FTEA]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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