Crotalaria deflersii Schweinf.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Bushy perennial, up to 1 m tall; stem densely and shortly white pubescent

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, broadly elliptic or obovate, up to 40–60 x 18–45 mm, usually densely pubescent on both surfaces when young; petiole up to 45–90 mm long

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules small, filiform

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes long and many-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 8–10 mm long, densely pubescent; lobes much longer than tube, reflexed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow with red centre, pubescent outside; keel strongly rounded, 6–8 mm long, with a very short incurved beak much shorter than wings

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod up to 35–45 x 9–11 mm, puberulous, c. 16–20-seeded.

Distribution

N1; Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, N Tanzania, Arabia

Ecology

Altitude range 300–1100 m.

Vernacular

Casuuro, garbaldiet (Somali).

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy perennial herb up to 1 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem densely covered with fine short slightly spreading hairs, ultimately glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets broadly elliptic or obovate, up to 40–60 mm. long, 18–45 mm. wide, usually densely pubescent on both surfaces of the young leaflets, generally glabrescent; petiole up to 45–90 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules very small, filiform, 0·5–2 mm. long, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 15–28 cm. long, usually with many fairly closely arranged flowers; bracts linear, ± 4–8 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the upper part of the pedicel, filiform, up to 1·5–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 8–10 mm. long, densely pubescent with short slightly spreading hairs; lobes narrow, 2–3 times as long as the tube, reflexed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, bright yellow, turning reddish with age, pubescent outside; wings obovate-oblong, ± twice as long as the keel; keel strongly rounded about the middle, with a very short incurved untwisted beak, 6–8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod oblong-clavate, gradually narrowed into a short stipe, up to 35–45 mm. long, 9–11 mm. across, rather closely puberulous, ± 16–20-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, laterally compressed, 4–4·5 mm. long, rugose, brown.

Figures

Fig. 124, p. 898.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland and grassland, often around outcrops of volcanic rock; 600–1650 m.

Distribution

tropical Arabia K1 K6 T2

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket, Somalia-Masai grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb