Crotalaria sparsifolia Baker

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual, up to 4·5 dm. tall, with numerous slender ascending branches.

Morphology Stem

Stem densely subappressed silvery pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly 3-foliolate, but the upper ones 1-foliolate; leaflets linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, up to 13 mm. long, 1–4 mm. wide, acute or obtuse, often with small scattered hairs above, appressed pubescent or pilose beneath; petiole up to 7 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules absent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes lax, up to 8–15 cm. long, many-flowered, often with other flowers clustered in the axils below; bracts filiform or subulate, 1–3 mm. long; bracteoles usually inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–3·5 mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, densely silky pubescent; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic-obovate, pale yellow, with reddish marks at the base inside and reddish-brown or purplish veining outside, silky pubescent to tomentellous outside; wings much shorter than the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower third, with a narrow twisted beak, 5–6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, ovoid-ellipsoid, ± 5 mm. long, appressed pubescent, ± 3–6-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds orbicular-cordiform, up to 2 mm. long, without a prominent aril, smooth, brown.

Habitat

Brachystegia woodland and derived scrub, often in sandy places; 900–1700 m.

Distribution

T4 T7 T8

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual 10–50 cm tall, developing numerous slender ascending branches; stem densely silvery appressed pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sometimes small or deciduous at flowering time, mostly 3-foliolate, upper ones usually 1-foliolate; leaflets 4–15 × 0.5–4 mm, linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate, glabrous to sparsely pubescent above, subdensely appressed pubescent beneath; petiole 1–8 mm long; stipules 0.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 3–12 cm long, very laxly 6–12-flowered, with other flowers developing in the axils below; bracts 1–2 mm long, linear-subulate; pedicel 1–2.5 mm long, generally with small setaceous bracteoles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–4 mm long, densely appressed pubescent to tomentellous; upper lobes triangular-acuminate, 1.5–2.5 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic-obovate, pale yellow, with deeper yellow red-fringed marks at the base inside, reddish lined and pubescent to tomentellous outside; wings a little shorter than the keel; keel (4)5–6 mm long, angular, with a narrow twisted beak slightly incurved at the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod sessile, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, ovoid-globose, densely pubescent, 3–6-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1.5–2 mm across, oblique-cordiform, smooth.