Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria retusa |
|
|---|---|---|
|
rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox |
rattleweed |
|
| Habit | Herbs annual. | Herbs annual. |
| Stems | suffrutescent basally, erect, 50–150 cm, glabrous. |
erect, 30–90 cm, strigose to strigose-sericeous. |
| 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 sometimes absent, setaceous, not decurrent on stem, 1–2 mm; blade obovate to spatulate or oblanceolate, 30–80 mm, length 2.2–3(–4) times width, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially. |
| Racemes | 12–22-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 10–50 cm; bracts persistent, cordate-auriculate, 5–8 mm. |
5–24-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 10–20(–30) cm; bracts caducous, linear, 2–3 mm. |
| Flowers | calyx broadly cylindrical, 10–15 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous; corolla bright yellow, faintly red-lined, 17–25 mm. |
calyx broadly cylindrical, 12–15 mm, basally truncate, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous or slightly puberulous; corolla bright yellow, with prominent reddish lines to strongly red-tinted, 20–25 mm. |
| Legumes | 30–45 × 10–20 mm, glabrous. |
25–40(–50) × 10–14 mm, glabrous. |
| 2n | = 16. |
= 16. |
Crotalaria spectabilis |
Crotalaria retusa |
|
| Phenology | Flowering (Jan–)Aug–Oct (year-round). | Flowering Jul–Oct, Jan–Apr. |
| Habitat | Grassy or fallow fields, roadsides, ditches, borrow pits, lake edges, disturbed areas. | Fallow fields, roadsides, sandy wastes. |
| Elevation | 10–200 m. [30–700 ft.] | 0–100 m. [0–300 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]
|
FL; GA; KY; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX; Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, 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.) |
In the flora area, Crotalaria retusa is commonly found in subtropical Florida but much more rarely in temperate areas, where it does not persist. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
| Parent taxa | ||
| Sibling taxa | ||
| Synonyms | C. retzii | |
| Name authority | Roth: Nov. Pl. Sp., 341. (1821) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 2: 715. (1753) |
| Source | FNA vol. 11. | FNA vol. 11. |
| Web links | ||