Crotalaria cylindrostachys Welw. ex Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, 3–12 dm. tall, usually with numerous ascending branches.

Morphology Stem

Stems sparsely hirsute with rather long bristly and somewhat spreading tawny hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflets ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, sometimes ovate, up to 32–80 mm. long and 15–30 mm. wide, sparsely pilose on both surfaces; petiole ± 4–7 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules filiform, 4–6(–8) mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes usually distinctly pedunculate, dense, up to 17(–23) cm. long, many-flowered; bracts filiform, 5–7 mm. long; bracteoles inserted at the base of the calyx, similar to the bract.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx becoming basally truncate and deflexed against the pedicel, 2–4 mm. long, sparsely hirsute; lobes triangular, ± as long as the tube or a little longer.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, dull yellow, purplish-brown veined and glabrous outside; wings longer than the keel; keel rounded about the middle, with a short rather blunt slightly incurved untwisted beak, 4–4·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, subglobose, somewhat compressed laterally, 6–8 mm. long, very densely covered in brown bristly hairs, 1–2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 3 mm. long, wrinkled, brown.

Habitat

Brachystegia woodland and deciduous bushland, often on sandy soils, grassland, also persisting on roadsides and cultivated ground; 1000–1600 m.

Distribution

T1 T2 T5 T7

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian bushland and thicket

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, 0.3–1.2 m tall, with usually numerous hirsute ascending branches.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, 1-foliolate; leaflets mostly 3–8 × 1.2–3 cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic or sometimes ovate, pilose, often sparsely so, on both surfaces; stipules 4–8 mm long, filiform.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 17(23) cm long, usually pedunculate, dense, many-flowered; bracts 5–7 mm long, filiform; bracteoles inserted at base of the calyx, similar.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–4 mm long, becoming basally truncate and deflexed against the pedicel, sparsely hirsute; lobes triangular, ± as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard subcircular, dull yellow, purplish-brown veined; wings exceeding the keel; keel 4–4.5 mm long, rounded about the middle, with a short rather blunt slightly incurved beak, 4–4.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, 6–8 mm long, subglobose, somewhat compressed laterally, densely brown villous, 1–2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 3 mm long, oblique-cordiform, wrinkled, brown.