Crotalaria abscondita Welw. ex Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, with a number of ultimately well-branched stems ascending to 30–70 cm from a well developed taproot, densely villous (hairs often up to c. 2 mm long, very fine, becoming twisted and appearing torulose).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves closely arranged, estipulate, sessile, 3-foliolate; leaflets mostly held erect, mostly 8–20 × 2–5(8) mm, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, pointed, villous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes terminal, sessile, dense, shortly cylindrical, 8–16-flowered; bracts 6–10 mm long, linear-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic-oblong, attenuate at either end; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm long; bracteoles inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 6–10 mm long, villous; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, 2–3 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard broadly elliptic to obovate, yellow, apically pilose outside; wings exceeding the keel; keel 5–6 mm long, rounded, with a small very slightly incurved pointed beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod practically sessile, 6–8 mm long, subglobose-ellipsoid, densely villous outside, sometimes pilose on the suture inside, 2–4-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–3 mm long, broadly oblique-cordiform, smooth to minutely papillose, yellow to dark brown.