Crotalaria stolzii (Baker f.) Milne-Redh. ex Polhill

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

Morphology General Habit

Straggling slightly woody perennial herb, 1–3 m. tall, laxly branched.

Morphology Branches

Branches sparsely appressed puberulous, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets oblanceolate, up to 20–29 mm. long, 4–10 mm. wide, glabrous above, sparsely appressed puberulous beneath, with reticulate venation conspicuous on both surfaces; petiole up to 10–13 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules foliaceous, ovate, cordate, up to 15–22 mm. long, 6–12 mm. wide, subequal-sided, sub-glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes somewhat lax, up to 5–14 cm. long, ± 5–20-flowered; bracts spathulate, acuminate, up to 7 mm. long, early caducous; bracteoles inserted on the pedicel, filiform, up to 3 mm. long, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 7–8 mm. long, appressed puberulous; upper lobes attenuately triangular, as long as to longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, bright yellow, glabrous outside; wings as long as the keel; keel somewhat angled about the middle, with an acute slightly incurved untwisted beak, 11–13 mm. long, shortly but conspicuously white ciliate-lanate along the upper margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod shortly stipitate, subcylindrical, slightly compressed laterally, narrowed at either end, up to 16–18 mm. long, 5–8 mm. in dorsi-ventral diameter, glabrous, ± 6–8-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 2·5 mm. long, minutely punctate, greenish-brown.

Habitat

Upland grassland, often near forest margins and on stream banks; 1800–3000 m.

Distribution

K2 K3 K4 T7 T8

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Straggling slightly woody herb ascending to 1–3 m, with lax spreading glabrescent branches.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets mostly 1.5–3 × 0.4–1 cm, oblanceolate, sparsely puberulous beneath; petiole shorter than leaflets; stipules leaf-like, (10)15–25 × 6–15 mm, ovate- or lanceolate-cordate, subequal-sided.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes sublaxly 12–20-flowered; bracts up to 7 mm long, spathulate, acuminate, early caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 7–8 mm long, appressed puberulous; lobes attenuately triangular, as long as to longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard subcircular, bright yellow, glabrous outside; wings as long as keel; keel 10–13 cm long, somewhat angled about the middle with a pointed slightly incurved beak, ciliate-lanate along upper edge.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod mostly 16–18 × 5–8 mm, shortly stipitate, ± oblong, slightly compressed laterally, narrowed at either end, glabrous, mostly 6–8-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 2.5 mm long, oblique-cordiform, minutely punctate, greenish-brown.