Galactia spiciformis

Galactia spiciformis Torr. & A. Gray

Common Names: Spiciform Milk Pea

Family: Fabaceae

Habit: Galactia spiciformis grows as a climbing or trailing vine to 3 m in length. The vegetation is sparsely pubescent to glabrous. The trifoliate leaves are arranged alternately with awl shaped stipules at the petiole base. The leaflets are to 8 cm in length, ovate with an obtuse –acute apex and entire margin.

The complete, perfect, zygomorphic flowers are arranged in racemes. The calyx 5 fused green sepals. The corolla has 5 pink to white unfused 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 slightly pubescent legume at maturity that is to 8 cm in length.

Habitat: Galactia spiciformis grows trailing through other vegetation along the edges of Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forest/Woodlands/Shrublands (coppice and palm woodlands on both sand and limestone substrates.

Distribution: Galactia spiciformis occurs on all island groups in the Lucayan Archipelago except the extreme southern groups (The Inaguas and Tucks and Caicos Islands). It also occurs in Florida and Cuba.

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