Crotalaria caudata Welw. ex Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or decumbent slightly woody short-lived perennial, with a shrubby habit, up to 7–17 dm. tall.

Morphology Branches

Branches densely leafy, pubescent with short appressed or rather long spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, 3-foliolate; leaflets held erect, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, up to 10–17(–30) mm. long, 3–7(–11) mm. wide, with the margins slightly inrolled, thinly hairy on both surfaces.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes short, subsessile, 2–3-flowered or the flowers solitary at the ends of the branches; bracts filiform to linear-lanceolate, 1·5–5 mm. long; bracteoles inserted at the top of the pedicel, filiform, 2–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± as long as the keel, 5–8 mm. long, densely silky pubescent; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, 2–3 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-elliptic to suborbicular, bright yellow, often marked or tinged reddish, pubescent outside; wings shorter than to as long as the keel; keel rather narrow, shortly rounded with a rather projecting sharp untwisted beak, 7–9 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, cylindrical, 16–23 mm. long, 4·5–6 mm. across, densely spreading hairy outside, pubescent inside at least along the lower suture, ± 14–20-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 2 mm. long, smooth, straw-coloured.

Habitat

Upland grassland and forest margins, descending into Brachystegia woodland generally in riverside grassland or marshy places; 1050–1800 m.

Distribution

T1 T4 T7 T8 U4

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Sudanian grasslands, Zambezian grassland, Zambezian bushland and thicket, Sudanian bushland and thicket

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or decumbent slightly woody short-lived perennial, sometimes shrubby, up to 0.7–1.7 m tall, much branched, variously hairy.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves rather closely arranged, estipulate, sessile, 3-foliolate; leaflets mostly held erect, 0.7–1.7(3) × 0.2–0.7(1.1) cm, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, rounded and apiculate, with slightly inrolled margins, thinly hairy on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes numerous on main branches and reduced lateral branches, sometimes axillary, short, subsessile, 2–3-flowered or the flowers solitary; bracts 1.5–5 mm long, filiform to linear-lanceolate; bracteoles at top of the pedicel, 2–3 mm long, filiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–8 mm long, densely silky-pubescent; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, 2–3 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-elliptic to subcircular, bright yellow, often marked or tinged reddish, pubescent outside at least towards the apex; wings shorter than to as long as the keel; keel 7–9 mm long, rather narrow, shortly rounded, with a rather projecting sharp beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, 1.6–2.5 cm long, cylindrical, densely spreading hairy outside, pubescent inside at least along the lower suture, 14–20-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–3 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, straw-coloured.