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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE MILKWORT FAMILY | |||||||||
| The milkworts are found around the world, except for New Zealand and the Arctic. These plants are erect herbs. The leaves are alternate or whorled and lack stipules at the base. The leaves are simple with entire margins. The flowers are in linear, unbranched clusters at the top of the stem. The flowers are irregularly shaped and have white to pink or purple petals. The fruit is a capsule that splits lengthwise. | |||||||||
| WHORLED MILKWORT | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Polygala verticillata var. isocycla | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Whorled milkwort grows up to 40 cm. This plant has an erect, branched stem. The leaves are in whorls of two to five. They are linear in shape and up to 2 cm long. The flowers are whitish or pinkish and in unbranched clusters. The central petal is boat-shaped and fringed. The fruit is a capsule. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Whorled milkwort grows on dry grassland slopes and valley bottom flats. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This plant is found in southeastern Saskatchewan in the Mixed Grassland and Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Whorled milkwort is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare. This species is restricted to a small area of the province and is locally sparse. Immediate threats have been identified for this species. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY WHORLED MILKWORT | |||||||||
| * Are the leaves in whorls of two to five? * Are the flowers white or pinkish? * Is the central petal boat-shaped and fringed? * Did you find in southeastern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found whorled milkwort! | |||||||||
