Habit Polygala willsonii grows as a many stemmed, glabrous perennial herb to 40 cm in height. The obovate to spathulate leaves are in open whorls (almost basal rosettes) 2 cm in length, an acute/mucronate or rounded leaf apex a slightly resolute margin.
The perfect, complete, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in dense, terminally and racemes. The calyx has 5 green, fused at the base sepals, the upper with glands. The corolla has 5 white to green petals with the lower 2 forming a keel with a yellow tip. The two side petals form the wings and have a glandular base. There are 8 stamens located within the keel. The ovary is superior with 2 locules. The fruit is a capsule at maturity that is ovate to elliptic in outline.
Habitat: Polygala willsonii grows behind Dunes in sandy coastal areas.
Distribution: Polygala willsonii occurs on the Cay Sal bank in the Lucayan Archipelago and on islands and off shore cays along the northeastern coast of Cuba.
Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Polygala willsonii is not known to be used medicinally in the Bahamas.
Polygala willsonii is a Globally Endangered (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) species as Red listed by the IUCN due to its narrow habitat size behind dunes, low population numbers, and small distribution area.
Oviedo, R., Hechavarria , J., Becquer, E., Freid, E.H. & Rankin, R. 2020. Polygala wilsonii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T158459783A158499831.
https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T158459783A158499831.en