Crotalaria involutifolia Polhill

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

Morphology General Habit

Suberect delicate annual, up to 1–5 dm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem very slender, laxly branched, sparsely appressed puberulous, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, simple; blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, up to 12–38 mm. long, 0·5–2 mm. wide, acute or bluntly pointed, apiculate, narrowed to the base, with the margins mostly inrolled at least to some extent, glabrous or sparsely puberulous above, sparsely appressed puberulous and often glabrescent beneath.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules filiform, minute or apparently absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes slenderly pedunculate, up to 4–12 cm. long, with ± 2–8 widely spaced flowers on the slender rhachis; bracts filiform, ± 0·5–1 mm. long; bracteoles inserted at the base of the calyx, minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2·5–3·5 mm. long, puberulous; lobes acuminately triangular, usually a little longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-orbicular, yellow, usually veined reddish-brown and glabrous outside; wings a little shorter to a little longer than the keel; keel rather abruptly rounded below the middle, with a short straight or slightly incurved acute untwisted beak, 3·5–6·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, narrowly cylindrical, 9–14 mm. long, 2–2·5 mm. across, pubescent, ultimately glabrescent, ± 18–22-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 1–1·2 mm. long, smooth, brown.

Habitat

Marshy grassland; 1800 m.

Distribution

T4

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Sudanian grasslands, Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Delicate ascending annual, up to 10–50 cm tall; stem very slender, laxly branched, sparsely appressed puberulous, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, simple; blade 10–40 × 0.5–2 mm, linear to linear-oblanceolate, with the margins usually at least partially inrolled, sparsely puberulous, often glabrescent; stipules minute or apparently lacking.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes with 2–8 widely spaced flowers on the ± filiform rhachis; bracts 0.5–1 mm long, setaceous; bracteoles inserted at base of the calyx, minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2.5–3.5 mm long, puberulous; lobes acuminately triangular, usually a little longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-circular, yellow, veined reddish-brown outside; wings a little shorter to a little longer than the keel; keel (3.5)4–6.5 mm long, rather abruptly rounded below the middle, with a short straight or slightly incurved beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod subsessile, 9–14 × 2–2.5 mm, narrowly cylindrical, pubescent, ultimately glabrescent, 18–22-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1–1.2 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, brown.