Crotalaria chrysotricha Polhill

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect bushy perennial with spreading branches, up to 7 dm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem terete, densely and slightly spreading pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, mostly 3-foliolate, with the uppermost often 1-foliolate; leaflets narrowly to broadly elliptic, rarely elliptic-obovate, up to 45–76 mm. long, 21–36 mm. wide, glabrous except along the midvein and glossy above, densely appressed pubescent with short golden-yellow hairs beneath; petiole up to 5–8 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules subulate to linear-oblanceolate, 3–11 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes terminal, leaf-opposed or rarely axillary, pedunculate, up to 6–9 cm. long, with 4–16 fairly closely arranged flowers towards the top; bracts filiform, 3·5–6 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the upper part of the apically recurved pedicels, filiform, 2–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx shorter than the keel, ± 7 mm. long, appressed pubescent; lobes narrowly triangular, ± twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic, dull yellow, sometimes tinged brown, glabrous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel semiorbicular, with a distinct crest on the upper margin preceding the short slightly incurved and circumflexed beak, 9–11 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod oblong-obovoid, with the 4–5 mm. long stipe up to 18–22 mm. long, 8–10 mm. across, densely subappressed pubescent, (4–)6–8-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong-reniform, 3·5–4 mm. long, minutely granulate, pale yellow.

Habitat

Brachystegia woodland; 1800 m.

Distribution

T4

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Low bushy slightly woody herb, up to 70 cm tall, densely usually rather spreading pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, mostly 3-foliolate with the uppermost often 1-foliolate; leaflets mostly 4–7.5 × 2–3.6 cm, elliptic or rarely obovate-elliptic, glossy and glabrous above apart from midrib, closely golden appressed pubescent beneath; stipules 3–11 mm long, subulate to linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes with 4–16 flowers fairly closely arranged above; bracts 3.5–6 mm long, subulate to filiform; pedicels 4–10 mm long, apically recurved, with filiform bracteoles on the upper part.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 7 mm long, appressed pubescent; lobes attenuate, ± twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic, dull yellow, glabrous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel 9–11 mm long, semicircular, crested behind the short beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod including the 4–5 mm long stipe up to 1.8–2.2 cm long, oblong-obovoid, densely subappressed pubescent outside, glabrous to sparsely pilose inside, (4)6–8-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5–4 mm long, obliquely oblong-cordiform, minutely granulate, pale yellow.