Polygala incarnata
| Polygala incarnata | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Polygalaceae |
| Genus: | Polygala |
| Species: | P. incarnata
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| Binomial name | |
| Polygala incarnata | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Polygala incarnata, commonly known as procession flower or pink milkwort, is a species of annual flower found in North America.[2]
Description
[edit]Polygala incarnata may reach a height of up to 2 ft (60 cm).[3] The leaves are whorled or alternately arranged and are linear in shape. They range in length between 5 and 17 mm (0.20 and 0.67 in).[4]
Flowers occur in spikes or racemes, with small petals that are pink in color. The corolla tube is 5 to 6.5 mm (0.20 to 0.26 in) in length and prominently fringed. The seeds are black and range in length from 1 to 1.7 mm (0.04 to 0.07 in).[4]
P. incarnata flowers from spring into the late summer.[5]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]This species may be found throughout the eastern half of the United States into Ontario, Canada.[6] Its range within the United States stretches from New York south to Florida and westward to Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.[3] P. incarnata is also found in Mexico and Central America, as far south as Nicaragua.[5]
Within its range, P. incarnata can be found in habitat types such as prairies, woodlands, pine savannas, and glades.[3][7] It does best in dry, sandy soils with high levels of sun.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Polygala incarnata L." World Flora Online. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ^ Weakley, Alan S. (October 20, 2020). Flora of the Southeastern united States. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ^ a b c d "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ a b Radford, Albert E.; Ahles, Harry E.; Bell, C. Ritchie (December 21, 1968). Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. The University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 9780807810873.
- ^ a b "Polygala incarnata in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
- ^ "Senega incarnata (Pink Milkwort) - FSUS". fsus.ncbg.unc.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
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