English
Fringed Polygala
Latin
Polygala paucifolia
Anishinaabemowin
(Zichmanis & Hodgins: tikizidgeebikohnse:)
Physical Description
The solitary stems of fringed polygala emerge from a rhizome and grow to be 3 to 6 inches tall. The alternate, evergreen leaves are of two types. The lower leaves are small and scalelike, while the upper leaves are oval and crowded at the top. In May and June the 1 to3 pink flowers bloom. The petals are fused into a tube and are fringed at the tip, giving the flowers an orchid-like appearance. Fringed polygala grows commonly in both moist and dry woods. (Plants used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa, Meeker)
Uses & Preparation
No traditional use for this plant was specified, but the translation of the Ojibwa name, "little root that cools", implies that the roots were used to treat fevers. (Plants used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa, Meeker)
Sources
Plants used by the Great Lakes Ojibwa, Meeker, Elias and Heim, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Odanah, WI, 1993