Crotalaria spartioides DC.

First published in Prodr. 2: 128 (1825)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Botswana to Cape Prov. It is a subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect virgate shrubby plant, 0.4–2 m tall; branches glaucous, ribbed, mostly rather slender, sparsely strigulose to finely appressed pubescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1-foliolate, estipulate; leaflets usually mostly 10–30 × 0.8–2.5 mm, needle-like, linear or less often linear-oblanceolate, subglabrous to shortly hairy; petiole 0.5–4(6) mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes laxly 6–24-flowered; bracts 1–3 mm long, linear or linear-lanceolate; bracteoles usually on the upper part of the 3–6 mm long pedicel, minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 5–7 mm long, subglabrous to appressed puberulous; lobes narrowly triangular or subulate, ± as long as the tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard elliptic, bright yellow, usually at least sparsely hairy outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel angled in the lower part with a long straight beak, usually not darker coloured at the tip, 11–14 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod subsessile, 10–12 × 5–6 mm, oblong-ellipsoid to shortly cylindrical, at least sparsely appressed puberulous, 6–8-seeded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 2.5–3 mm long, broadly oblique-cordiform, papillose, brownish.
[FZ]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Kalahari-Highveld Regional Transition Zone - woodland, Kalahari-Highveld regional transition zone; grassland., Kalahari-Highveld regional transition zone; bushland and thicket.
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub
[ILDIS]

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 Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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/

  • 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