Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria juncea |
|
---|---|---|
rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox |
sunn hemp |
|
Habit | Herbs annual. | Herbs annual. |
Stems | suffrutescent basally, erect, 50–150 cm, glabrous. |
erect, 100–200(–400) cm, densely, loosely strigose, hairs appressed-ascending, yellowish to golden brown. |
Leaves | unifoliolate; stipules ovate to ovate-lanceolate, not decurrent on stem, 4–7 mm; blade obovate to elliptic, 50–150 mm, length 1.5–2.5 times width, surfaces glaucous, strigose abaxially, glabrous-punctate adaxially. |
unifoliolate; stipules filiform, not decurrent on stem, 1–2 mm; blade linear-elliptic to oblong, 50–150 mm, length 2.5–4 times width, surfaces strigose, more densely so abaxially. |
Racemes | 12–22-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 10–50 cm; bracts persistent, cordate-auriculate, 5–8 mm. |
6–20-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or axillary, open, 10–50 cm; bracts persistent, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 3–5 mm. |
Flowers | calyx broadly cylindrical, 10–15 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous; corolla bright yellow, faintly red-lined, 17–25 mm. |
calyx broadly cylindrical, 1.5–2 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous or slightly puberulous; corolla deep, bright yellow, sometimes with faint reddish lines, 15–22 mm. |
Legumes | 30–45 × 10–20 mm, glabrous. |
25–45 × 12–17 mm, densely hirsute-pilose, hairs yellow-brown. |
2n | = 16. |
|
Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria juncea |
|
Phenology | Flowering (Jan–)Aug–Oct (year-round). | Flowering Apr–Sep. |
Habitat | Grassy or fallow fields, roadsides, ditches, borrow pits, lake edges, disturbed areas. | Disturbed sites. |
Elevation | 10–200 m. (0–700 ft.) | 0–20 m. (0–100 ft.) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; SC; TN; TX; VA; Asia [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Indian Ocean Islands (Reúnion), Pacific Islands]
|
AL; FL; GA; Asia (India, Pakistan) [Introduced also in South America (Brazil, Colombia), Europe (Russia), Africa, Indian Ocean Islands (including Madagascar), Pacific Islands (Hawaii, Philippines), Australia] |
Discussion | In Texas, Crotalaria spectabilis is known from Brazos, Cameron, Karnes, and Liberty counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The antiquity of the cultivation of Crotalaria juncea makes nativity difficult to interpret, but the species is now widely cultivated throughout India and Pakistan as well as other parts of the world, including Australia and Russia. The strong bast fiber of the bark has long been used in twine, rug yarn, cordage, cigarette and tissue papers, fish nets, sacking, and canvas. Plants of C. juncea are extremely fast-growing and are widely used throughout the tropics as so-called green manure to add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. (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 | ||
Synonyms | C. retzii | |
Name authority | Roth: Nov. Pl. Sp., 341. (1821) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 714. (1753) |
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