Polygala japonica

Decumbent, wiry subshrub to c. 25 cm high; stems pubescent with tiny looping hairs. Leaves ovate to elliptic, 6–20 mm long, 3–10 mm wide. Flowers mauve in lateral racemes c. 1–2 cm long; bracts and bracteoles to 1 mm long, soon deciduous; pedicels 2–6 mm long; sepals free, the upper and lower ones narrow-ovate, 2–3 mm long, wings ovate to obovate, c. 5 mm long, 3–4 mm wide in fruit, 3–5-nerved with connecting lateral nerves; corolla 6–7 mm long, shortly exceeding sepals at anthesis, keel appendages c. 2 mm long, lateral petals entire, slightly shorter than keel. Capsule c. orbicular, emarginate at apex, c. 8 mm long and wide; seed hirsute, c. 3 mm long, with aril c. 2.5 mm long. Flowers mostly Oct.–Dec.