Polygalaceae
Polygala

Polygala obtusissima Hochst. ex Chodat

First published in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 31(2: 2): 322 (1893)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Tropical Africa. It is a subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Woody shrublet, 0.1–1 m tall, sometimes scandent and up to 2 m, all parts puberulous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves oblanceolate, 5–22(–30) x 2–8.5 mm, cuneate at the base, rounded to emarginate at the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes lateral, sometimes spine-tipped, up to 2 cm long, sometimes solitary flowers also; bracts usually persistent; pedicels slender, 3–10 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Outer sepals 2.5–6 mm long, free; wings accrescent, 6–14 x 4–11.5 mm, at anthesis pink to bright yellow, becoming pale brown, pubescent or ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals purple, the upper three quarters as long as wings; keel slightly shorter than wings, with a fringed appendage at the tip
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule elliptic to broadly oblong, 5–8 x 3.5–6 mm, pubescent or ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 4.5–5.5 x 2.5–3 mm, with short hairs; caruncle c. 0.8 x 0.8 mm, with 2 lateral appendages just shorter than the seed.
Distribution
N1–3; C1, 2; S1, 2; Ethiopia, Arabia
Ecology
Altitude range 150–1950 m.
[FSOM]

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

  • 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