Crotalaria amoena Welw. ex Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy woody herb or small shrub, up to 2 m tall; branches tomentose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, mostly 3-foliolate with the uppermost often 1-foliolate; leaflets mostly 3–10 × 1.2–3.5 cm, elliptic-lanceolate or elliptic to oblong-ovate, chartaceous, with slightly prominent venation, glossy and glabrous above except on midvein, sericeous beneath; stipules 2.5–6 mm long, subulate or linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes terminal, on reduced uppermost lateral branches and sometimes axillary, with 6–16 flowers rather closely arranged above; bracts 4–7 mm long, attenuate-subulate or linear; bracteoles near top of pedicel, filiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 1–1.2 cm long, densely puberulous to tomentellous; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, ± twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard subcircular or oblate, yellow tinged brownish or purplish, tomentellous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel semicircular, crested behind the short beak, 1.2–1.6 cm long, sometimes hairy towards the lower margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 2.5–3.2 cm long, orange-brown velvety tomentellous outside, densely pubescent inside, maturing 3–8(12) seeds.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3–4 mm long, oblique-cordiform, granulate or smooth, brown.

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

Morphology General Habit

Much-branched woody herb or shrub, up to 5–20 dm. tall, bushy above.

Morphology Branches

Branches terete, tomentose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, mostly 3-foliolate, with the uppermost often 1-foliolate; leaflets elliptic-lanceolate, elliptic or oblong-obovate, up to 37–100 mm. long, 14–25 mm. wide, coriaceous, with the lateral nerves slightly prominent on both surfaces, glabrous except on the midvein and glossy above, densely silky pubescent beneath; petiole 2–5 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules subulate or filiform, 2·5–6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes terminal on short few-leaved lateral branches or axillary, pedunculate, up to 6–15 cm. long, with ± 6–16 flowers closely arranged towards the top; bracts attenuate-subulate or linear, 4–7 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the upper part of the pedicel, filiform, 3–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± as long as the keel, 10–12 mm. long, densely puberulous to tomentellous; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, ± twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular to oblate, yellow, tinged brown or purplish, tomentellous outside; wings pointed-oblong, shorter than the keel; keel rounded about the middle, semiorbicular, with a crest on the upper margin preceding the short slightly incurved and somewhat circumflexed beak, 12–16 mm. long, sometimes puberulous on the lateral surfaces towards the lower margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod shortly stipitate, sub-cylindrical, 25–32 mm. long, 9–11 mm. across, shortly orange-brown velvety tomentose outside, densely white spreading pubescent inside, maturing 3–8(–12) seeds from the ± 16–18 ovules.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 3 mm. long, minutely granulate or smooth, brown.

Habitat

Brachystegia woodland; ± 1450m.

Distribution

T5

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub