ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Polygala senega
 
 
 CLASS:    DICOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    POLYGALALES
 FAMILY:   POLYGALACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Polygala senega
 AUTHORITY:  L.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    SENECA SNAKEROOT
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: POSE3
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
         DRY
       THICKETS
     PRAIRIE
       GRAVEL PRAIRIE
         DRY
     SAVANNA
       TYPICAL SAVANNA
         DRY-MESIC
     CULTURAL
       SUCCESSIONAL FIELD
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   BOND            BOONE           BUREAU          CARROLL         CASS
   CHAMPAIGN       CLARK           COLES           COOK            DEKALB
   DUPAGE          EDGAR           EFFINGHAM       GRUNDY          HENDERSON
   HENRY           JO DAVIESS      KANE            KENDALL         LAKE
   LEE             MCHENRY         MCLEAN          MACON           MADISON
   MARSHALL        MENARD          MOULTRIE        OGLE            PEORIA
   ROCK ISLAND     SHELBY          STARK           STEPHENSON      TAZEWELL
   VERMILION       WABASH          WILL            WINNEBAGO
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Dicot-herb
 
 TAXONOMY COMMENTS:
     This includes var. latifolia Torr. & Gray.
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Primary
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Serrate
    LEAF VENATION:  Pinnate
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear   Lanceolate     Oval
    INFLORESCENCE:   Raceme
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete   Irregular
    FLOWER COLOR:   White
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   Capsule
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     Species has several stems from a thick crown.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Occasional
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Forb
     LIFE CYCLE:   Perennial
     REPRODUCTION:   Sexual
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      5         MONTH END-      9
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C3
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed in calcareous (often rocky) woodlands; areas
     where a local disturbance has reduced competition.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:
     SHOWY FLOWERS:  NO     LANDSCAPING:  NO
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:   No data entered
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:
     WEEDINESS:   Non-weedy
 
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Mohlenbrock, R. H., ed.  1975.  Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.  494 pp.
Jones, G. N.  1963.  Flora of Illinois.  Third ed.  American Midland Naturalist
     Monograph 7.  University of Notre Dame, Indiana.  401 pp.
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist.  1963.  Manual of vascular plants of north-
     eastern United States and adjacent Canada.  Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
     New York.  810 pp.
Fernald, M. L.  1950.  Gray's manual of botany.  8th ed.  American Book Co.,
     New York.  1632 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Downton, W. J. S.  1975.  The occurrence of C4 photosynthesis among plants.
     Photosynthetica 9(1): 96-105.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Polygala senega
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015