Galactia rudolphioides

Galactia rudolphioides (Griseb) Benth. & Hook.f. C. Wright

Common Names: Red Milk Pea

Family: Fabaceae

Habit: Galactia rudolphioides grows as a climbing or trailing vine, becoming woody with age, to 4 meters in length. The trifoliate leaves are arranged alternately.  The leaflets are to 5 cm in length, oblong to ovate, with an acute or emarginate leaf apex and revolute leaflet margin.

The complete, perfect, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in racemes.  The calyx has 5 fused green petals.  The corolla has 5 red petals, the upper enlarged to form the banner and the lower 2 fused to form the keel.  There are 10 diadelphous stamens.  The ovary is superior and has a single locule.  The fruit is a legume at maturity.

Habitat: Galactia rudolphioides grows in and along the edges of Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Shrublands (scrublands) and Pine Woodlands.  It can also be found along Rocky Shores.

Distribution: Galactia rudolphioides occurs in the central and north island groupings of the Lucayan Archipelago as well as Cuba.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Galactia rudolphioides is not known to be used used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.