Galactia striata (Jacq.) Urb.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Slightly woody vine, twining, attaining 2-5 m in length. Stems slender, pubescent. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 3-6 x 2-3 cm, elliptical or ovate, chartaceous, the apex rounded or less frequently obtuse, mucronate, the base rounded, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, dull, pubescent; lower surface pale green, dull, pilose or velutinous, with prominent venation; petiolules thickened, ca. 4.5 cm long, pubescent; stipels minute; rachis ca. 1 cm long; stipules filiform, ca. 3 mm long, pubescent. Inflorescences of axillary pseudoracemes; rachis 4-14 cm long; flowers 2-3, grouped on the swellings along the rachis; bracts minute, persistent. Calyx green, ca. 1 cm long, pubescent, the sepals 4, one of them larger; corolla pink or lavender, the standard 8-10 mm long, elliptical, purple with white lines, yellow at the base on the inner surface, the wings and the keel as long as the standard. Legume 4-8 x 0.6-0.9 cm, oblong, flattened, pubescent, the apex with a recurved point. Seeds 4-5 mm long, flattened, reniform to oblong, dark brown, dull.
Phenology - Flowering and fruiting from August to March.
Conservation Status - Native, rather common.