POLYOALEE, or POLYGALACE2E, a natural order of exogenous plants, herbaceous or shrubby, sometimes twining; the leaves without stipules, and generally simple; the flowers resembling papiliouaceous flowers, but the odd petal inferior, and the odd sepal superior; the flower-stalks with three bracts; the calyx of five very irregular sepals; of which the two interior are usually petal-like; the corolla of three, or sometimes five petals, the anterior petal the largest, and often crested; stamens eight, monadelphous or diadelphous, or four and distinct; the ovary superior, generally 2-celled, one ovule in each cell; style and stigma simple; fruit generally a capsule opening by valves, sometimes a drupe. There are about 500 species, diffused throughout all parts of the world.—The genus polygala has a persistent calyx, eight stamens, the lateral sepals large and petal like, and hairy or wrinkled seeds. The species are very numerous, annual and per ennial herbaceous plants, and small shrubs, natives chiefly of warm and temperate climates. One is found plentifully in Britain; the COMMON MILKWORT (P. vulgaris),
small perennial plant, growing in dry hilly pastures; with an ascending stem, linear lanceolate leaves, and a terminal raceme of small but very beautiful flowers, having a finely-c•ested keel. It varies considerably in size, in the size and even shape of the leaves, and in the size and color of the flowers, which are sometimes of a most brilliant blue, sometimes purple, pink, or white.—Several species arc natives of the south of Europe.—North America produces a greater number. The cape of Good Hope and other subtropical countries produce many beautiful species, some of which have become common ornaments of greenhouses.—P. senega is it North American species, with erect simple tufted stems, about 1 ft. high, and terminal racemes of small white flowers. The root, which is woody, branched, contorted, and about half an inch in diameter, is the