Crotalaria retusa L.

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Tough-stemmed annual, the stems striate and appressed-puberulous; leaves simple, oblanceolate, 3–10 cm long, the apex rounded or retuse, glabrous above, minutely puberulous beneath, the tissue with numerous minute pellucid dots; stipules awl-shaped, ca. 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes elongate, many-flowered; calyx 2-lipped, ca. 12 mm long, about half as long as the corolla, the lobes triangular-acuminate; petals yellow, the standard up to 2.4 cm broad, tinged reddish on the back and with fine purplish lines within. Pod oblong, blackish, 3–4 cm long, glabrous.

Distribution

Grand Cayman. Pantropical.

Ecology

A common weed of sandy roadsides, pastures, and open waste ground.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–2450 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Arauca, Atlántico, Bolívar, Casanare, Cesar, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, La Guajira, Magdalena, Nariño, Norte de Santander, San Andrés y Providencia, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb, Subshrub.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Isiraachon, Maraquita

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual or short-lived perennial, 0.5–1.5 m tall, usually well branched; branches slightly ribbed, subdensely covered with short hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple; blade 3.5–11 × 1.5–4 cm, oblanceolate to oblong-obovate, finely appressed pubescent beneath; petiole c. 2–4 mm long; stipules 1–5 mm long, linear or subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 10–30 cm long, many-flowered; bracts c. 2–6 mm long, subulate-caudate to lanceolate-caudate; bracteoles on the pedicel, 1–2 mm long, filiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 1.1–1.4 cm long, glabrous to appressed puberulous; upper lobes broadly lanceolate-triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-circular, pale yellow, veined and outside often suffused reddish-purple, usually puberulous along the midvein outside; wings oblong-obovate, longer than the keel, bright yellow; keel 1.3–1.5 cm long, rounded, with a fairly short slightly incurved twisted beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod shortly stipitate, (3)4–5 × 1–1.8 cm, oblong-clavate, glabrous, c. 12–20-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 5–5.5 mm long, oblique-cordiform, with the narrow end strongly incurved, finely papillose, yellowish or brown.

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A hall-shrubby herb, 2–4 ft. high

Ecology

Of waste land

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers conspicuous, 3/4–1 in. long, in long loose racemes, yellow with purple veining.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual or short-lived perennial, up to 1.5 m tall; stem shortly pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, oblanceolate to oblong-obovate, up to 35–110 x 18–40 mm, rounded or emarginate at the apex, glabrous above, finely appressed pubescent beneath; petiole c. 2–4 mm long

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules linear, 1–5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes many-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 11–14 mm long, glabrous to appressed puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, veined purplish, usually with a few hairs along the midvein outside; keel rounded, 13–15 mm long, with a twisted beak

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod up to 40–50 x 13–18 mm, glabrous, c. 12–20-seeded.

Note

The pantropical var. retusa with longer racemes, appressed indumentum and thinly puberulous calyx is often cultivated for its fibers and as green manure. It is not yet known from Somalia.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2450 m.; Andes, Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe, Pacífico, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba, subarbusto

Conservation

Preocupación Menor

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

alorva, cascabel, cascabelito, maraquita, mariposa

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual or short-lived perennial, up to 1·3 m. tall, usually well branched.

Morphology Stem

Stem obscurely ribbed, densely appressed puberulous to spreading pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple; blade oblanceolate to oblong-obovate, up to 35–105 mm. long, 18–38 mm. wide, rounded or emarginate at the apex, glabrous above, finely appressed pubescent beneath; petiole ± 2–4 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules subulate or filiform, 1–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 30 cm. long, but often considerably less, laxly or densely many-flowered; bracts subulate-caudate to lanceolate-caudate, ± 2–6 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the upper part of the pedicel, filiform, ± 1–2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 11–14 mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, glabrous or with small scattered appressed hairs; upper lobes broadly lanceolate-triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-orbicular, pale yellow, often finely purplish veined inside and reddish diffused outside with darker veins, usually with a few hairs along the midvein outside; wings oblong-obovate, longer than the keel, bright yellow; keel rounded, with a rather short slightly incurved twisted beak, 13–15 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod shortly stipitate, oblong-clavate, up to 40–48 mm. long, 13–18 mm. across, glabrous, ± 12–20-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, with the narrow end strongly incurved, ± 5–5·5 mm. long, finely papillose, yellowish or brown.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; anthropic habitats., Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; grassland., Guinea-Congolian anthropic landscapes

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

Vernacular

Akondrondolo, Akondronjaza, Amberivatrindolo, Cachimbito, Cascabelillo, Cascavelle Jaune, Casse-cavelle, Chinchin, Faliakoho, Famonakoho, Ghunghunian, Hintsakintsaka, Kaha-andana-hiriya, Kilukiluppai, Kinesakinesa, Kinsakinsa, Kitsakitsanakoho, Kitsakitsa

Use Animal Food

Used as animal food.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Food

Used for food.

Use Materials

Used as material.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.

Use

Domestic, Environmental, Fibre, Food and Drink, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Toxins, Weed