Asemeia grandiflora

Asemeia grandiflora
In Orange County, Florida
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Polygalaceae
Genus:	Asemeia
Species:	A. grandiflora
Binomial name
Asemeia grandiflora (Walter) Small
Synonyms [1]
Polygala grandiflora

Asemeia grandiflora, commonly known as showy milkwort, is a species of perennial flower found in North America. ^{[2] [3]} Previously known as Polygala grandiflora, the name of this species was changed to the currently-used Asemeia grandiflora in 2012. ^[4]

Description

A. grandiflora is an herb that reaches between 25 and 50 cm (9.8 and 19.7 in) in height. The species' leaves are alternately arranged and oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate in shape, reaching a length between 1.5 and 5 cm (0.6 and 2.0 in) and a width between 2 and 17 mm (0.08 and 0.67 in). They are pubescent underneath, most notably on the veins. ^[5]

The racemes range in length from 5 to 17 cm (2.0 to 6.7 in). The wings either side of the flower are pink in color and 5 to 17 mm (0.20 to 0.67 in) in length. The flower itself is similar in color but smaller in size. A. grandiflora's sepals are 1.5 to 2 mm (0.06 to 0.08 in) in length and green in color. The seeds are approximately 2 mm (0.08 in) long and black in color. ^[5] A. grandiflora tends to bloom during the summer months and fruits shortly thereafter. ^[6]

Taxonomy

Asemeia grandiflora was scientifically named Polygala grandiflora by the botanist Thomas Walter in 1788. It was moved to the genus Asemeia by John Kunkel Small in 1933, giving the species its accepted name. ^[1] At the time this move was not widely accepted by botanists, but genetic research in the 2000s showed that Asemeia to be a distinct group and the name was revived in a paper in 2012. ^[4] Asemeia grandiflora has no accepted varieties, but has 30 synonyms including seven varieties and 22 species names. ^[1]

Table of Synonyms ^[1]

Name	Year	Rank	Notes
Asemeia carneaRaf.	1838	species	= het.
Asemeia cumulicola(Small) Small	1933	species	= het.
Asemeia leiodes(S.F.Blake) Small	1933	species	= het.
Asemeia miamiensis(Small) Small	1933	species	= het.
Asemeia rosea(Michx.) Raf.	1838	species	= het., nom. superfl.
Badiera berteroanaSpreng.	1826	species	= het.
Polygala ambigensS.F.Blake	1923	species	= het.
Polygala americanaSeem.	1856	species	= het., nom. illeg.
Polygala bahamensisS.F.Blake	1916	species	= het.
Polygala collinaBrandegee	1905	species	= het.
Polygala corallicolaSmall	1905	species	= het.
Polygala cubensisChodat	1893	species	= het.
Polygala cumulicolaSmall	1924	species	= het.
Polygala domingensisBertero ex Spreng.	1826	species	= het., not validly publ.
Polygala flabellataShuttlew. ex Chodat	1893	species	= het.
Polygala grandifloraWalter	1788	species	≡ hom.
Polygala grandiflora var. angustifoliaTorr. & A.Gray	1840	variety	= het.
Polygala grandiflora var. canescensShuttlew. ex A.Gray	1852	variety	= het.
Polygala grandiflora subsp. krugii(Chodat) Nauman	1981	subspecies	= het.
Polygala grandiflora var. leiodesS.F.Blake	1924	variety	= het.
Polygala grandiflora var. leptophyllaChodat	1893	variety	= het.
Polygala grandiflora var. orbicularisChodat	1893	variety	= het.
Polygala grandiflora var. pubescensChodat	1893	variety	= het., nom. superfl.
Polygala krugiiChodat	1893	species	= het.
Polygala miamiensisSmall	1924	species	= het.
Polygala muhlenbergiiG.Don	1831	species	= het.
Polygala pubescensMuhl. ex Nutt.	1818	species	= het., nom. illeg.
Polygala senega var. roseaMichx.	1803	variety	= het.
Polygala versicolorWilld. ex Steud.	1841	species	= het., not validly publ.
Polygala wrightiiChodat	1893	species	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

Distribution and habitat

This species is native to the southeastern region of the United States of America. Its range encompasses North Carolina south to Florida and westward to Louisiana. ^[3]

Within this range it may be found in habitats such as longleaf pine sandhills, savannas, and calcareous glades. ^[7] They are commonly found in mesic environments and areas with dry, sandy soils. ^[8]

References

1. "Asemeia grandiflora (Walter) Small". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 1 October 2025.
2. Weakley, Alan S. (October 20, 2020). Flora of the Southeastern United States. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
3. "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
4. Pastore, J. F. B.; Abbott, J. R. (2012-10-05). "Taxonomic notes and new combinations for Asemeia (Polygalaceae)". Kew Bulletin. 67 (4): 801–813. Bibcode:2012KewBu..67..801P. doi:10.1007/s12225-012-9397-x. ISSN   0075-5974.
5. 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.
6. "Vascular Plants of North Carolina". auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
7. Deyrup, Mark; Edirisinghe, Jayanthi; Norden, Beth (March 2002). "The diversity and floral hosts of bees at the Archbold Biological Station, Florida (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)". Insecta Mundi. 16 (1–3).
8. "Asemeia grandiflora (Showy Milkwort) - FSUS". fsus.ncbg.unc.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-01.