Galactia tenuiflora (Willd.) Wight & Arn.

Scientific Description

Twining or climbing plants. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, compound, alternate, not continuous with stem, 65-100 mm long, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent, pinnately arranged, terminal leaflet present, stalked; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present but early deciduous ( only visible on youngest leaves ). Pedicel present, 4-4.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent, 2 mm long, hairy, not striate. Calyx 8-9 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 12-14.5 mm long, multicoloured, mostly pink, purple or blue, with some pink, purple or blue spots, streaks or blotches; claws absent; standard 11-11.5 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 9-10 mm long, not auriculate, keel 11-13.5 mm long, not beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short), 9-13 mm long. Ovary sessile or subsessile, hairy or glandular; style 14-16.5 mm long, glabrous, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), 30-50 mm long, 6-10 mm wide, stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, hairy, with simple hairs, beaked. Flowers in January, February, March, April, May, June, July and August. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley and Dampierland IBRA regions.