Crotalaria somalensis Chiov.

First published in Res. Sci. Somalia Ital. 1: 62 (1916)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Ethiopia to N. Kenya. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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

Type
S1, “Goriei” to “El Magu”, Paoli 621 (FT holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Erect or spreading herb, up to 1 m tall; branches shortly appressed pubescent, glabrescent
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 3, oblanceolate-elliptic to obovate, up to 25–40 x 10–25 mm, usually appressed puberulous on both surfaces; petiole 16–34(–40) mm long
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes long, many-flowered, rather lax
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 4–5 mm long, subglabrous to appressed puberulous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard yellow, glabrous outside; keel rounded about the middle, 11–12 mm long, with a slightly incurved untwisted beak, ciliate along upper margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod 12–24 x 4.5–6 mm, appressed puberulous, c. 6–8-seeded.
[FSOM]

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
[ILDIS]

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual or short-lived perennial, erect and up to 1 m. tall or sometimes with the branches almost prostrate.
Morphology Stem
Stem openly branched, shortly appressed hairy, glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3(–5)-foliolate; leaflets oblanceolate-elliptic to obovate, up to 24–38 mm. long, 10–24 mm. wide, appressed puberulous on both surfaces; petiole 16–34(–40) mm. long.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules small or absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes rather lax, up to 15–27 cm. long, many-flowered; bracts filiform, up to 1–1·5 mm. long, caducous before the flowers open; bracteoles inserted towards the top of the pedicel or at the base of the calyx, minute, caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx abruptly contracted at the base, 4–5 mm. long, subglabrous to appressed puberulous; lobes subtriangular, ± as long as the tube or longer, sometimes becoming reflexed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard ovate-orbicular, yellow, veined green, glabrous outside; wings ± as long as the keel or shorter, yellow turning reddish; keel rounded about the middle, with a slightly incurved untwisted beak, 11–12 mm. long, conspicuously ciliate along the upper margin.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod oblong-ellipsoid to oblong-fusiform, slightly compressed laterally, beaked, narrowed into the 3–4 mm. long stipe, 12–24 mm. long, 4·5–6 mm. across, appressed puberulous outside, sometimes glabrescent, glabrous or with small scattered hairs inside, ± 6–8-seeded; style-base persistent as a conspicuous beak.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 2 mm. long, papillose, brown.
[FTEA]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19891655/20053164

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0