Polygala paniculata L.

Erect, mostly much-branched annuals, 10-50 cm high; stems terete, densely pedicellate-glandular. Leaves 4-5-whorled or pseudowhorled at the base of the stem, otherwise alternate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acute apically, cuneate basally, 1-nerved, 5-32 mm long, 0.6-3.5 mm wide, short petioled. Racemes cylindric, loosely flowered, 3-7 cm long, 5-7 mm wide, the peduncle to 14 cm long; bracts deciduous, lanceolate, acute, glabrous, 0.8-1.1 mm long. Flowers rose or purplish, rarely white, the pedicels 0.7-1.2 mm long; outer sepals-'bearing 2 glands basally, the largest sepal broadly ovate, obtuse, 1-1.2 mm long, the smaller 2 oblong-ovate, obtuse, 0.9-1.1 mm long; wings obovate, spatulate-obovate or oblong-obovate, rounded apically, cuneate basally, 3-nerved, 2-2.8 mm long, 0.7-1 mm wide; upper petals narrowly ovate-lanceolate, attenuate to the apex, 2-2.5 mm long; keel 1.9-2.7 mm long, the crest 6-10-lobed, the lobes 0.4-0.9 mm long, rarely partly forked apically; staminal tube glabrous inside, the filaments very short; ovary obovoid to almost orbicular, 0.6-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide, the style straight or ascending, 0.4-0.8 mm long, developed distally into a navicular cavity, the apical end of which has a tuft of hairs, the inner end a globose, sessile stigma. Capsules ellipsoid to oblong, 1.8-2.6 mm long, 0.9-1.5 mm wide; seeds (Fig. lj) oblong, 1.4-1.8 mm long, shortly appressed-pubescent, the 2 lobes of the aril narrowly oblong, appressed, 0.4-0.8 mm long.

In Australia, grows along roadsides and at disturbed sites, including disturbed areas of native vegetation, on a variety of soils.

A source of methyl salicylate, also known as salicylic acid methyl ester, which is used (i) in flavouring food, beverages and pharmaceuticals, (ii) as an odorant, perfume and ultraviolet absorber in cosmetics, and (iii) in traditional medicine (Victório et al. 2011). Researched for its medicinal properties, e.g. Lapa et al. (2007), Pizzolatti et al. (2009), Bettio et al. (2011).