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slender leaf rattlebox

Pursh's or coastal plain rattlebox, Pursh's rattlebox

Habit Herbs annual or short-lived perennial. Herbs perennial.
Stems

erect, 70–250 cm, strigose.

erect to ascending, 15–50(–80) cm, sparsely, loosely strigose.

Leaves

3-foliolate;

stipules absent;

leaflet blades linear to linear-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 50–130(–180) mm, length 7–10 times width, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

unifoliolate;

stipules lanceolate-auriculate or triangular, decurrent on mid and distal stems, with 2 distinct lobes, (3–)5–13 mm;

blade linear, linear-lanceolate or -oblanceolate, oblong, or elliptic, narrower distally, 45–100 mm, length (2.5–)4–10 times width, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

Racemes

4–12-flowered, terminal or subterminal, 15–40 cm;

bracts persistent, linear-triangular, minute.

(1 or)2–5(–12)-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 6–25 cm;

bracts persistent, subulate-triangular.

Flowers

calyx broadly cylindrical, truncate basally, 4–6 mm, lobes triangular, shiny-glabrous;

corolla pale yellow with prominent reddish purple lines, 18–20 mm.

calyx broadly cylindrical, 6–9 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous or slightly puberulous;

corolla bright yellow, 8–12 mm.

Legumes

straight, (40–)50–70 × (10–)15–20 mm, sparsely strigose or glabrescent.

15–25(–30) × 7–10 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

= 32.

Crotalaria ochroleuca

Crotalaria purshii

Phenology Flowering Apr–Oct. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Roadsides, ditches, prairie swales, sandy fields. Roadsides, prairie swales, long­leaf pine savannas, pine flatwoods.
Elevation 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.) 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America (Brazil), Asia (China), Pacific Islands (Papua New Guinea), Australia]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TN; TX; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Crotalaria ochroleuca has often been identified in the United States as C. intermedia Kotschy or C. brevidens Bentham var. intermedia (Kotschy) Polhill.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

In Texas, Crotalaria purshii is known from Hunt County in the northeastern part of the state.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Crotalaria Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Crotalaria
Sibling taxa
C. avonensis, C. incana, C. juncea, C. lanceolata, C. pallida, C. pumila, C. purshii, C. retusa, C. rotundifolia, C. sagittalis, C. spectabilis, C. trichotoma, C. verrucosa, C. virgulata
C. avonensis, C. incana, C. juncea, C. lanceolata, C. ochroleuca, C. pallida, C. pumila, C. retusa, C. rotundifolia, C. sagittalis, C. spectabilis, C. trichotoma, C. verrucosa, C. virgulata
Synonyms C. laevigata, C. linearis, C. purshii var. bracteolifera, C. sagittalis var. linearis
Name authority G. Don: Gen. Hist. 2: 138. (1832) de Candolle in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 2: 124. (1825)
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