Galactia 
G. megalophylla (F.Muell.) J.H.Willis 
Erect shrub with cane-like stems to 2 m high. All 
parts except corolla glabrate with fine appressed hairs 
or parts of inflorescence sericeous. Stipules 1-3 mm 
long. Leaves simple, 1-foliolate or pinnately 3-5- 
foliolate; rachis to basal leaflets 1-40 mm, 7-60 mm 
overall; leaves or leaflets dorsiventral, coriaceous, 
broadly lanceolate, ovate or elliptic, 42-135 mm long, 
16-96 mm wide, L/W 1.3-2.8, venation prominently 
reticulate, base rounded to cordate, apex acute to 
emarginate. Inflorescence axillary to 250 mm long 
or terminal to 450 mm long. Flowers 1-several at 
nodes; bracts c. 1 mm long. Pedicels 2-4 mm long; 
bracteoles 2-3 mm long. Calyx 7-13 mm long; lobes 
unequal, c. twice as long as tube. Corolla pale to deep 
mauve; standard 17-21 mm long. Pod 55-77 mm 
long, 4-7 mm wide. Seeds 9-15, brown, oblong to 
ellipsoid, 3-4 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide; hilum 
towards one end. Flowering: Dec - Feb; fruiting: 
Jan - Mar. Fig. 24 
Endemic to the NT, from the Victoria River district 
to western Arnhem Land. Relatively common in the 
DR, on shallow laterite or rocky slopes in Eucalypt 
savanna. 
G. muelleri Benth. 
Erect shrub to 1.5 m high; stems probably annual. 
All parts excluding corolla sericeous. Stipules c. 3 
mm long. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, rarely 1- 
foliolate; rachis to basal leaflets c. 2 mm, 3-5(11) mm 
overall; leaflets lanceolate, 22-60 mm long, 7-32 mm 
wide, L/W 1.7-3.5. Inflorescence to 110 mm long, 
flowers 1-3 per node, widely spaced. Calyx 10.5-14.5 
mm long; lobes c. 2/3 of total length. Corolla pink- 
purple; standard obovate, 13-18 mm long. Pod 25-62 
mm long, 5-7 mm wide. Seeds 4-12, dark brown, 3.5- 
4 mm long, 2.6-3 mm wide; funicle minute. Flowering 
and fruiting: Dec - Mar. Fig. 24 
FABACEAE 83 
Probably an NT endemic, occurring on rocky sites 
from the upper Fitzmaurice R. to north west of 
Noonamah. Relatively common in the DR. 
G. tenuiflora (Sprengel) Wight & Arn. 
Twining or trailing vine. All parts except corolla 
shortly and softly pubescent or upper leaf surfaces 
rarely glabrous. Stipules c. 3 mm long. Leaves 
pinnately 3-foliolate; rachis to basal leaflets 18-65 
mm, 25-82 mm overall; leaflets narrowly to broadly 
lanceolate, elliptic or oblong or rarely suborbicular, 
20-80 mm long, 7-42 mm wide, L/W 1.2-2.5(4.7). 
Inflorescence axillary, racemose to 200(390) mm 
long; flowers 1-3 per node, distant, in distal half. 
Pedicels 1-3 mm long. Calyx 6-9 mm long; lobes + 1/ 
2 total length. Corolla purple; standard obovate, 
emarginate, 12-15 mm long. Ovules 7-9. Pod brown, 
30-55 mm long, 5-7 mm wide. Seeds pale to dark 
brown, faintly spotted, 4-5 mm long, 3-4 mm wide; 
caruncle ‘narrow. Flowering and fruiting: Jan - Feb. 
Fig. 24 
A pantropical species; in Australia from the 
Kimberley to Qld. Common in the DR, favouring 
Eucalypt savanna but found in a variety of habitats. 
G. ‘Litchfield’ 
Erect shrub to c. 0.7 m high. All parts except corolla 
sericeous. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; rachis to basal 
leaflets 15-30 mm, 22-42 mm overall; leaflets 
discolorous, narrowly lanceolate or narrowly elliptic 
to linear-oblong, 34-77 mm long, 5-20 mm wide, 
L/W 2.8-15. Inflorescence to c. 150 mm long. Pedicels 
c. 1 mm long. Calyx 7-8 mm long; lobes c. 2/3 total 
length. Standard c. 10 mm long. Seeds c. 10. 
Flowering and fruiting: July. Fig. 24 
Known only from 3 collections from Eucalypt 
savanna in the Tipperary-Litchfield area. 
GLYCINE J.C.Wendl. 
Prostrate perennial vines with annual stems, often amphicarpic. Tomentum of simple hairs. Stipules persistent, 
striate. Leaves digitately or pinnately 3-foliolate. Stipels persistent, setaceous. Inflorescence of solitary axillary 
racemes, the flowers subtended by persistent narrow bracts towards the distal end. Bracteoles persistent, at the 
base of the calyx tube, + equal to calyx tube, linear. Calyx 5-lobed, upper pair partly connate. Corolla glabrous; 
standard shortly clawed, suborbicular, emarginate, wing and keel petals clawed to c. 1/2 their length. Stamens 
9+1; filaments alternately long and short; anthers uniform, dorsifixed and versatile. Style glabrous, persisting 
on the fruit; stigma minute, capitate. Aerial pods straight, several-seeded; subterranean pods oblong, 1-seeded. 
Seeds in pods enveloped by dark resinous honey-combed tissue; aril minute. 
About 18 species in warm regions of the Old World, 12 in Australia, 7 in the NT and 2 in the DR. Glycine 
max is the Soya Bean. 
