Galactia striata (Jacquin) Urban (1900: 320)

Ceolin, Guilherme B. & Miotto, Sílvia T. S., 2013, Synopsis of the genus Galactia (Phaseoleae, Papilionoideae, Leguminosae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 134 (1), pp. 1-26 : 12

24. Galactia striata (Jacquin) Urban (1900: 320) . ( Fig. 2D ).

Basyonim: Glycine striata Jacquin (1770: 32) . Type: — DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Santo Domingo, Bertero (holotype F 33424![photo])

Galactia striata var. tenuiflora (Klein ex Willdenow) Burkart (1971: 721) . syn. nov.

Basyonim: Glycine tenuiflora Klein ex Willdenow (1802: 1059) . Type: — INDIA. Pondicherry, Klein (holotype F 2397![photo], isotype NY!) ,

Climbing herbs and twiners up to 4 m long; leaves pinnately trifoliolate; petiole up to 47 mm long; leaflets almost totally glabrous, membranaceous; inflorescences sessile or pedunculate; the only species of Galactia in Brazil known to grow in forests.

Selected specimen: — BRAZIL. Mato Grosso do Sul: Nioaque , 21º26'S, 57º02W, 23 September 2008, L. C. P. Lima 427 (ICN) .

Distribution: —widespread in the American continent (see notes below).

Habitat and ecology:—the species has a wide habitat tolerance (see notes below).

Notes:—we have synonymized G. striata var. tenuiflora under G. striata as it lacks any consistent differentiating morphological characters; both vegetative and reproductive organs are morphologically labile. The species is intensively cultivated as forage for livestock and there is a named commercial cultivar (cv. Yarana). The geographical origin of the species is unclear as is its original ecological preference, although there is evidence that suggests it originated in the riparian forests of western Brazil.

Phenology:— Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Figures

FIGURE 2: A. Galactia martioides. B. Galactia pretiosa. C. Galactia benthamiana. D. Galactia boavista. E. Galactia striata.