16. Polygala Paucifòlia Willd. Fringed Milkwort. Flowering Wintergreen. Gay-Wings

Fig. 2710

Polygala paucifolia Willd. Sp. Pl. 3: 880. 1800. Polygala uniflora Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 53. 1803.

Glabrous, perennial from slender prostrate stems and root-stocks 6'-15' long. Flowering branches erect or ascending, 4'-/' high; leaves of the summits of the stems clustered, ovate or oblong, 1'-1 1/2' long, 7"-10" wide, acute, rough-margined, on petioles 2"-4" long; those of the lower part of the shoots successively smaller, distant, the lowest scale-like; flowers 1-4, axillary to the upper leaves, 7"-10" long, slender-peduncled, rose-purple or rarely white, showy; wings obovate; crest of the corolla beautifully fimbriate; seed slightly shorter than the caruncle; cleistogamous subterranean flowers few, on short lateral branches.

In moist rich woods, New Brunswick and Anticosti to Saskatchewan, south to Georgia, Illinois and Minnesota. Ascends to 2500 ft. in Virginia. Dwarf milkwort. Evergreen snakeroot. May-wings. Little pollom. Baby's-feet, -toes or -slippers. Lady's-slipper. Bird-on-the-wing. Indian pink. May-July.