Crotalaria emarginata Bojer ex Benth.

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

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; grassland.

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Stiffly erect well-branched annual or short-lived perennial, up to 1–2 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem ribbed, densely pubescent with fine short spreading whitish hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets oblanceolate to narrowly oblong-oblanceolate or oblong-elliptic, up to 16–40 mm. long, 4·5–10(–14) mm. wide, rounded or emarginate at the apex, rather densely pubescent with irregularly arranged hairs on both surfaces; petiole 10–25 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 10–18 cm. long, with many closely arranged flowers; bracts subulate-caudate, 0·5–2 mm. long; bracteoles inserted at the base of the calyx, very small or apparently absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx becoming basally truncate and deflexed against the pedicel, 4–5 mm. long, rather densely appressed or spreading pubescent; lobes narrowly acuminate-triangular, ± as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, bright yellow, usually with reddish-purple veins and glabrous outside; wings longer than the keel; keel rather strongly rounded just below the middle, with a sharp slightly incurved untwisted beak, (8–)9–11 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, narrowly cylindrical, (20–)23–28 mm. long, 4·5–5·5 mm. across, sometimes slightly curved, densely appressed pubescent, ± 25–30-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, 2–2·5 mm. long, smooth, orange-buff.

Habitat

Grassland, swamp margins, seasonally inundated valleys in Brachystegia woodland, persisting on cultivated ground and roadsides; 0–300 m.

Distribution

K7 P T3 T6 not known elsewhere