Crotalaria bongensis Baker f.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, up to 4–5 dm. tall, with usually many spreading branches, particularly from the base.

Morphology Stem

Stem pubescent or hirsute with mostly rather spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflets linear-oblong to oblong-lanceolate or elliptic, up to 25–82 mm. long, 2–8 mm. wide, glabrous or with a few hairs above, thinly pilose beneath; petiole up to 3–4 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes lax, up to 8 cm. long, ± 3–13-flowered; bracts filiform, up to 1 mm. long; bracteoles inserted near the top of the pedicel, inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–2·5 mm. long, thinly pubescent; lobes triangular, slightly acuminate, ± as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-elliptic, yellow veined purplish-red, glabrous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower third, with a long narrow untwisted beak, 4–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, oblong-ellipsoid to shortly cylindrical, 7–10 mm. long, 2–3 mm. across, pubescent, ± 12–16-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds cordi-form, ± 1·5–1·8 mm. long, smooth, brown.

Habitat

Wooded grassland and sandy lake shores, also persisting on cultivated ground; 750–1200 m.

Distribution

K5 T1 T4 U2 U3 Sudan west to Nigeria and Portuguese Guinea

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

Morphology General Habit

Shortly erect annual, 10–45 cm tall, generally with many spreading branches, particularly from the base, hirsute.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves estipulate, 1-foliolate; leaflets 20–80 × 2–6(8) mm, linear to oblong-lanceolate, pilose, at least beneath; petiole 2–4 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes laxly 3–12-flowered; bracts up to 1.5 mm long, setaceous; bracteoles near the top of the pedicel, inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–2.5 mm long, pilose, often with purplish nerves; lobes triangular, slightly acuminate, ± as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic-obovate, yellow, veined reddish-purple, glabrous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel 4–5 mm long, angled in the lower part, with a long narrow beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, 7–10 × 2–3 mm, oblong-ellipsoid to shortly cylindrical, pubescent, c. 12–16-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 1.5–1.8 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, brown.

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

Morphology General Habit

An erect branched pilose annual, slightly woody below, a few inches to 2 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow, strongly purple-veined

Ecology

In savannah.

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