Not ready to give up the search, a route was found around more fallen tree branches to an area where in year's past this plant had been seen. Initially nothing was found. Then one spot of the characteristic purple color became visible followed by seeing many more.
We had previously successfully transplanted Fringed polygala to our shade garden. All went well for several years when other native plants moved in. The broad green leaves, one holding a white flower bud, seen in this photo is Canada Mayflower. A nearby section of forest contains only trees and this native invader. There all other native plants have been crowded out. That was the same fate of our transplants. We never knowingly moved Canada Mayflower into our garden but it soon made its presence known. We lost each and every Polygala to this brute.
Little has been found about this plant and what we encounter is sometimes contradictory. It is generally accepted that seed formation occurs in never open flower just below the soil surface. The function of these open flowers remains mostly unanswered. Today an internet visit to Native Plant Trust Go Botany revealed twin seed pods positioned where the two horizontal flower petals can now be seen. We will mark the location of this plant with a florescent red flag so that we can find it when its flowers are past. The possibility of seeds is exciting. We have vowed to never again dig this plant. We discovered that each stem grows from a horizontal close to the surface root. Nutrition is found by the vertical tap root of some size. It that tap root is not intact, the transplant will die. The possibility of seeds above ground is simply wonderful.
