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Senega lutea (Linnaeus)
Orange Milkwort
Synonym(s): Polygala lutea L.
Florida native
A common herbaceous plant of bogs, flatwoods and cypress pond margins throughout nearly all of Florida. The range includes the Gulf and Atlantic coastal states from Louisiana into New York, plus Pennsylvania.
The orange flowers are in a tight solitary raceme up to 1.5cm (6/10 in.) wide. The specific name lutea is a result of the characteristic of the flowers to turn yellow when dried, as in a herbarium specimen. The tiny individual flowers are made up of three petals fused to the stamens and five sepals, two of which - called wings - are larger and the same color as the petals.
Senega lutea is a member of the Polygalaceae - Milkwort family.
Other species of the Senega genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Senega boykinii - BOYKIN'S MILKWORT
Senega cruciata - DRUMHEADS
Senega incarnata - PROCESSION FLOWER
Senega lewtonii - LEWTON'S MILKWORT
Senega nana - CANDYROOT
Senega rugelii - YELLOW MILKWORT
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Aug 22, 2024
