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rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox

rabbitbells

Habit Herbs annual. Herbs perennial.
Stems

suffrutescent basally, erect, 50–150 cm, glabrous.

prostrate to decumbent or ascending, 10–70 cm, strigose or strigose-sericeous to hirsute-villous.

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 lanceolate-auriculate or triangular, with 2 distinct lobes, decurrent on mid and distal stems, 2–10 mm;

blade broadly elliptic, elliptic-ovate, ovate, broadly lanceolate, linear, linear-lanceolate, or obovate-oblanceolate, 9–50 mm, length 1–2.5(–12) times width, surfaces strigose to strigose-hirsute.

Racemes

12–22-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 10–50 cm;

bracts persistent, cordate-auriculate, 5–8 mm.

(1 or)2–5-flowered, terminal, subterminal, or lateral, 4–20 cm;

bracts persistent, linear-subulate to lanceolate.

Flowers

calyx broadly cylindrical, 10–15 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous;

corolla bright yellow, faintly red-lined, 17–25 mm.

calyx broadly cylindrical, 5–9 mm, lobes triangular-lanceolate, glabrous or slightly puberulous;

corolla bright yellow, banner sometimes red-lined, 7–13 mm.

Legumes

30–45 × 10–20 mm, glabrous.

12–28 × 7–12 mm, glabrous.

2n

= 16.

Crotalaria spectabilis

Crotalaria rotundifolia

Phenology Flowering (Jan–)Aug–Oct (year-round).
Habitat Grassy or fallow fields, roadsides, ditches, borrow pits, lake edges, disturbed areas.
Elevation 10–200 m. [30–700 ft.]
Distribution
map from FNA
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]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
map from USDA
se United States; Mexico; Central America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Crotalaria Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Crotalaria
Sibling taxa
C. avonensis, C. incana, C. juncea, C. lanceolata, C. ochroleuca, C. pallida, C. pumila, C. purshii, C. retusa, C. rotundifolia, C. sagittalis, C. trichotoma, C. verrucosa, C. virgulata
C. avonensis, C. incana, C. juncea, C. lanceolata, C. ochroleuca, C. pallida, C. pumila, C. purshii, C. retusa, C. sagittalis, C. spectabilis, C. trichotoma, C. verrucosa, C. virgulata
Subordinate taxa
C. rotundifolia var. linaria, C. rotundifolia var. rotundifolia
Key
1. Leaves usually spreading, blades broadly elliptic to elliptic-ovate, ovate, or broadly lanceolate, 9–20 × 10–15 mm, lengths mostly 1–2.5 times widths.
var. rotundifolia
1. Leaves usually ascending-erect, blades linear to linear-lanceolate, or obovate-oblanceolate on proximal 1/3 of stems, linear distally, 10–50 × 1–4 mm, lengths 5–12 times widths.
var. linaria
Synonyms C. retzii
Name authority Roth: Nov. Pl. Sp., 341. (1821) J. F. Gmelin: Syst. Nat. 2: 1095. (1792)
Source FNA vol. 11. Treatment author: Guy L. Nesom. FNA vol. 11. Treatment author: Guy L. Nesom.
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