Galactia wrightii
Galactia heterophylla
Wright's milkpea
Gray's milkpea
procumbent proximally, weakly twining distally, strongly lignescent, densely to sparsely strigose, hairs retrorsely appressed to slightly spreading.
procumbent, not twining, densely strigose, hairs closely appressed, retrorse.
3, blades oblong-elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 15–48 × 5–18 mm, herbaceous, veins not raised, apex rounded to obtuse or shallowly retuse, surfaces moderately to densely strigose-sericeous and glaucous abaxially, sparsely to densely short-strigose-sericeous with closely appressed hairs to pubescent with soft, spreading-erect hairs, sometimes strigose to glabrous, adaxially.
5, blades elliptic or broadly elliptic to elliptic-obovate or oblong-elliptic, 6–24 × 2–12 mm, herbaceous, veins not raised, margins strigose, apex obtuse to rounded or shallowly retuse, surfaces smooth-glaucous abaxially and moderately strigose, hairs closely appressed, usually glabrous adaxially, rarely sparsely strigose.
flowers (2–)5–18(–30) in pseudoracemes, usually in fascicles, axis rarely 10 mm and 2- or 3-flowered;
axis (10–)35–200(–250) mm.
flowers solitary and axillary or 2–5 in reduced pseudoracemes;
axis 1–10 mm.
calyx 5–7 mm, loosely short-strigose to hirsute-pubescent, lobes greenish yellow to tan on inner surface when dry;
corolla not persisting after anthesis, pink to purple-rose to lavender, lighter when dry, 11–12 mm.
calyx 7–9 mm, short-strigose with closely appressed hairs;
corolla pink, deep pink, cerise, rose-purple, lavender, purple, violet-red, 11–15 mm.
straight, 25–50 × 4–5 mm, moderately to densely strigose to strigose-sericeous.
straight, (20–)30–45 × 5–7 mm, moderately strigose, hairs closely appressed.
(3–)5–9.
3–5.
Galactia wrightii
Galactia heterophylla
Galactia wrightii is characterized by twining stems, mostly oblong-elliptic leaflets with glaucous abaxial surfaces, relatively long inflorescences with numerous flowers and relatively large corollas, and strigose-sericeous fruits. The type of var. mollissima is a plant with vestiture more spreading than normal; such variants are scattered through the range in Arizona, as cited by Kearney and Peebles, as well as in Texas.
Plants in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona (especially the Huachuca Mountains but not the Chiricahua Mountains) tend to have reduced vestiture; the leaves are sometimes completely glabrous. Such plants extend southward in Mexico along the Chihuahua-Sonora border region. Intermediates are numerous, especially in Arizona, and no distinct boundary seems evident. In Texas, G. wrightii is known from four counties of the trans-Pecos and Big Bend regions.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Galactia heterophylla is characterized by its prostrate, non-twining stems and particularly by its five leaflets with glabrous adaxial surfaces. It occurs in about 15 counties in central and south-central Texas.
Galactia grayi Vail is an illegitimate, superfluous name that pertains here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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