Heath Milkwort - Polygala serpyllifolia

Distinguished from P. vulgaris by having opposite lower leaves. The flowers are usually blue, but pink and white flowers do occur, sometimes in the same colony as blue flowers.

Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) has alternate, not opposite, leaves.  Chalk Mikwort (Polygala calcarea) has been recorded in VC55, but only on a few sites in limestone areas; it has larger lower leaves clustered into a rosette.

Lower stem-leaves opposite; heathland or acid grassland

Records from this species should be confirmed by a County Recorder for botany.  It is on the VC55 Rare Plant Register, and therefore a specimen should not be taken.  Take detailed field photos and submit to NatureSpot as soon as possible; and if you think you have found it in a new location, inform the County Recorder as soon you can. (RPR)

Grassland, heath and short turf but not found on calcareous soil or dunes.

June to August and sometimes later.

Perennial

Widespread in Britain but quite local in some areas.

Infrequent and local in Leicestershire and Rutland; populations small in size and potentially vulnerable. 

It was recorded in 9 tetrads in the Flora of Leicestershire (Primavesi & Evans, 1988) and was not recorded in the Flora of Rutland (Messenger, 1971)

In the current checklist (Jeeves 2011) it is listed as scarce and almost confined to Charnwood Forest.

It is on the VC55 Rare Plant Register (Hall & Woodward, 2022) as Locally Scarce.  Recent records are mainly from Charnwood Forest area