From the CO2Science.org archive: The Latin version of this week’s plant sounds like something an astronomer would come up with: Galactia elliottii. Or a battle-star. But the name has nothing to do with Galaxy or Galactica, except indirectly, because Galactia is Greek for milky, from which the “milky way” gave way to “galaxy”. But we digress. This etymologically fascinating plant grows in southeastern American states like Florida and adds nitrogen to the soil, which means Elliott’s Milkpea is good for other plants around it. And CO2 is good for it. In 1999 a study found that exposure to an extra 300 ppm CO2 caused a 110% growth boost to seedlings in an open-top chamber as they reached for the stars.