Crotalaria schliebenii Polhill

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual or short-lived perennial 0.6–1 m tall, developing numerous ascending flowering branches above, and sometimes a few long ones from near the base; stem densely silvery subappressed pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 8–20 × 1–3 mm, linear-oblanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, thinly pilose above, subdensely so beneath; petiole 3–7 mm long; stipules 0.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes sessile, 3–14 cm long, densely many-flowered; bracts 2–3.5 mm long, linear-subulate; pedicel 1–2.5 mm long, without bracteoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3.5–4 mm long, silvery tomentose; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, 2–3 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate, yellow, with darker red-fringed marks at the base inside, brown lined and subdensely pubescent to tomentellous outside; wings nearly as long as the keel; keel 4.5–5.5 mm long, angular, with a nearly straight twisted beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, 4–5 × 3–3.5 mm, ovoid-globose, pubescent, 2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–2.5 mm long, ovate-cordiform, smooth, with a prominent aril.

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: threatened. Confidence: confident

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/179319/1575091

Conservation

VU - vulnerable

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual or short-lived perennial, up to 6–10 dm. tall, developing many ascending flowering branches from near the top and sometimes a few long ones from near the base.

Morphology Stem

Stem silvery subappressed pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate-oblong, up to 8–20 mm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, acute to rounded at the apex, pilose on both surfaces; petiole up to 4–7 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes sessile, dense, up to 5–14 cm. long, many-flowered, sometimes with other flowers in the axils below; bracts linear, 2–3·5 mm. long, longer than the pedicel; bracteoles inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3·5–4 mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, silvery tomentose; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, up to twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-orbicular, yellow, veined brown and silvery tomentellous outside; wings nearly as long as the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower third, with a narrow twisted slightly incurved beak, 4·5–5·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, subglobose-ovoid, 4–5 mm. long, 3–3·5 mm. across, appressed pubescent, 2-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate-cordiform in outline, up to 2–2·5 mm. long, with a prominent aril, smooth, brown.

Habitat

Dry woodland; ± 400m.

Distribution

T6