Senega officinalis
 
Senega Snakeroot

Early Seed, Side A

Ruby Lake Recreation Site, 15 km North of Hudson Bay
12-July-2024

This seed was placed on a leaf before being photographed. Each seed is equipped with a 2-lobed caruncle. A caruncle is similar to an aril except that it is derived from the integuments, not the funiculus.  The caruncle provides nutrition to ants which disperse the seed.

Officinalis: This species used to be known as Polygala senega.  The following are answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species, assuming it was part of genus Polygala.  Thus these questions distinguish this species from other species in the original Polygala.
plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]
leaves alternate; NOT [leaves whorled]
leaves lanceolate to ovate; NOT [leaves linear or linear-oblanceolate]
inflorescence oblong, cylindrical; NOT [inflorescence conic]
flowers many; NOT [flowers 1-4]
flowers white; NOT [flowers rose-purple]