| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | Present over nearly all of the Mountains, but widely scattered in the Piedmont, mainly the northern half; one record for the northern Coastal Plain (Bertie County). A moderate size population was discovered in late June 2023 on a N-facing mesic slope in a powerline In Anson County; others in same powerline are P. verticillata and P. curtissii.
This is a widespread species to the north and west of NC; it ranges from eastern Canada south to northern GA and northeastern TX. | |
| Abundance | Frequent to locally fairly common in the Mountains, rare to uncommon in the Piedmont, very rare in the Coastal Plain. | |
| Habitat | This species has no primary habitat, and it occurs in quite a few disparate sites. It grows mostly in full to partial sun, of meadows, grassy fields, seeps, margins of rock outcrops, and even into bog margins. It is likely more often found in moist areas in meadows than anywhere else. | |
| Phenology | Blooms from June to August, and fruits shortly after flowering. | |
| Identification | This is a rather "standard" Polygala -- with a slender stem, only to about 10 inches tall, with some branches in the upper portions. It has alternate, linear stem leaves, about 1 inch long and very narrow. The racemes of flowers that top each branch are quite densely packed with rose-purple-colored flowers; the raceme is about 3/4-1 inch long and about 1/2-inch wide or less, typically about twice as tall as wide. P. curtissii is somewhat similar, but that species has a more rounded head, with slightly larger flowers not quite as densely packed; it also has bracts that remain attached to the stem when a flower falls. Because of its varied habitats, it is hard to pinpoint good habitats to search for this species, though the mountains and sunny areas are good places to start. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | None
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| Other Common Name(s) | Blood Milkwort, Purple Milkwort | |
| State Rank | S3? [S3] | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FAC link |
| USACE-emp | FAC link |
