Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria virgulata |
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rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox |
thicket rattlebox |
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Habit | Herbs annual. | |
Stems | suffrutescent basally, erect, 50–150 cm, glabrous. |
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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. |
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Racemes | 12–22-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 10–50 cm; bracts persistent, cordate-auriculate, 5–8 mm. |
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Flowers | calyx broadly cylindrical, 10–15 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous; corolla bright yellow, faintly red-lined, 17–25 mm. |
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Legumes | 30–45 × 10–20 mm, glabrous. |
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2n | = 16. |
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Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria virgulata |
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Phenology | Flowering (Jan–)Aug–Oct (year-round). | |
Habitat | Grassy or fallow fields, roadsides, ditches, borrow pits, lake edges, disturbed areas. | |
Elevation | 10–200 m. (0–700 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]
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Discussion | In Texas, Crotalaria spectabilis is known from Brazos, Cameron, Karnes, and Liberty counties. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Varieties 6 (1 in the flora); introduced, Florida; Africa introduced also in South America, Australia. (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 | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. retzii | |
Name authority | Roth: Nov. Pl. Sp., 341. (1821) | Klotzsch in W. C. H. Peters: Naturw. Reise Mossambique 6(1): 56. (1861) |
Web links |