Crotalaria sphaerocarpa Perr. ex DC.

First published in Prodr. 2: 133 (1825)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & S. Africa. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect annual, up to 3–10(–17) dm. tall, well branched, subappressed to spreading pubescent or glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets variable in shape, linear to lanceolate, oblanceolate or elliptic, up to 20–58 mm. long, 4–18 mm. wide; petiole up to 15–35 mm. long.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules subulate to linear-lanceolate, ± 1·5–4 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes up to 12–30(–40) cm. long, laxly 12–many-flowered; bracts linear-lanceolate, 1–1·5 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the pedicel, inconspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 2·5–3·5(–4) mm. long; lobes subulate, 2–3 times as long as the tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard elliptic or oblong-obovate, usually pale yellow; wings generally shorter than the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower third, with a long narrow untwisted beak, (4–) 5–7 (–9) mm. long, often speckled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod shortly stipitate, shortly oblong-ellipsoid to oblong-obovoid, 5–7 mm. long, 3·5–4 mm. across, 1–2-seeded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 3 mm. long, rugulose to nearly smooth, brown.
[FTEA]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Sudanian grasslands, Zambezian grassland, Kalahari-Highveld regional transition zone; grassland., Tongaland-Pondoland regional transition zone - grassland.
Morphology General Habit
Annual, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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/

  • 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