Easily confused with :Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Purple Milk Vetch (Astragalus danicus), Lesser Milk-vetch (Astragalus odoratus), Alpine Milk-vetch (Astragalus alpinus), Milky Bellflower (Campanula lactiflora), Milk-parsley (Thyselium palustre), Cambridge Milk-parsley (Selinum carvifolia) [plants with similar names belonging to differing families]

Not to be semantically confused with : Sea Milkwort (Glaux maritime) [a plant which grows near the sea where the sea may invade twice a day which has similar name but is not related to these other Milkworts].

A feature of this Milkwort (and that of Common Milkwort) is that the plant tastes bitter and are edible - not that they are routinely eaten - although they are used as to adulterate Green China tea. But this particular Milkwort is both small and a very rare [RRR] in the UK, so you will not see anyone eating it!

It is native in the UK and occurs only on chalk or limestone grasslands in Westmorland, County Durham, East and West Kent and in Mid-West and North-West Yorkshire.

Hybridizes with :

• Common Milkwort (Polygala vulgaris) to produce Polygala vulgaris × Polygala amarella which was once found in East Kent amidst both parents in the early 1970's and has large lower leaves which possess an astringent taste (as do the leaves of Dwarf Milkwort. This hybrid, once-seen (by experts, not your Author) exhibits far more vigorous growth than Dwarf Milkwort). Good luck finding another specimen!

Many similarities to : other Milkworts (Polygala species)