Crotalaria parvula Welw. ex Baker

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transition zone; grasslands., Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual, with slender erect stem, 5–40 cm tall, developing numerous ascending or spreading stems from the base, often also short flowering branches at the top; stem rather densely appressed puberulous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 5–12 × 1.5–4 mm, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, rounded to truncate or retuse, appressed puberulous beneath; petiole 2–5 mm long; stipules 0.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes or heads sessile, dense, 1–3(6 in fruit) cm long, many-flowered; bracts 1–1.5 mm long, linear; pedicel 1–2 mm long, sometimes with minute bracteoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3 mm long, ± densely appressed puberulous; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, 2–3 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard oblong-obovate, pale yellow, reddish marked basally inside, red lined outside and medially puberulous to tomentellous, glabrous near the edges; wings shorter than the keel; keel 3–4 mm long, angular, with a narrow twisted beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, 2–3.5 mm long, ovoid-globose, puberulous, 2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1–1.5 mm long, ovate-cordiform, smooth, with a prominent aril.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual with a slender erect stem, up to 4·5 dm. tall, developing numerous slender ascending or spreading branches from the base, often also shortflowering branchlets at the top.

Morphology Stem

Stem shortly and usually rather densely appressed pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets oblanceolate to obcunei-form, up to 7–12 mm. long and 1·5–4 mm. wide, mostly rounded to truncate or retuse at the apex, glabrous above, shortly and finely appressed pubescent beneath; petiole up to 4–5 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes or heads sessile, dense, up to 1–4(–6) cm. long, many-flowered, sometimes with a few other flowers in the axils below; bracts linear, up to 1–1·5 mm. long; brac-teoles inserted on the pedicel, very small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3 mm. long, with the tube slightly protracted on the lower side, appressed pubescent; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard oblong-obovate, pale yellow with reddish marks at the base inside and reddish veined outside, densely appressed puberulous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower third, with a narrow twisted beak, 3–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, ovoid-globose, 2·5–3·5 mm. long, shortly pubescent, 2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate-cordiform in outline, 1–1·5 mm. long, with a prominent aril, smooth, dull brown.

Habitat

Short grassland; 1650 m.

Distribution

T7