Common Milkwort
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Polygala vulgaris
Common & widespread in Britain.
The flowers are gathered in long terminal inflorescences.
The colour of the corolla varies between blue and violet, it can rarely occur in purple forms.
The flower's outer three sepals are normally small, green and insignificant, whilst the inner two sepals are bigger.
The inner sepals are usually shorter than the petals.
The stalks of the eight stamens are joined to form a tube, and united with this tube, one on either side, are two tiny petals.
On the lower side of the flower lies the third petal; it too, is joined to the stamen tube, but it is larger, and fringed.
The flowering period extends from May through July.