Crotalaria verrucosa L.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect much branched annual, up to 1 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem 4-angled, sulcate, shortly appressed or spreading pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple; blade ovate to elliptic, up to 5·5–12·5 cm. long, 4·5–8 cm. wide, thinly appressed or spreading pubescent on both surfaces; petiole ± 4–9 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules foliaceous, ovate-falcate, acuminate, up to 7–21 mm. long, 5–13 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 11–24 cm. long, with up to 24 laxly to rather closely arranged flowers; bracts caudate, expanded at the base, ± 1–5 mm. long; bracteoles inserted on the lower part of the pedicel, filiform, ± 0·5–2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 4–5-lobed, 7–11 mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, thinly appressed pubescent; upper lobes acuminately triangular, ± twice as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard elliptic to obovate-elliptic, pale yellow, tinged blue, glabrous outside; wings obovate-elliptic, longer than the keel, blue or purple; keel rounded about the middle, with a fairly short slightly incurved twisted beak, 8–12 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod shortly stipitate, oblong-clavate, ± 37–50 mm. long, 10–12 mm. across, thinly appressed or spreading pilose, ± 16-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblique-cordiform, with the narrow end strongly incurved, practically smooth to distinctly papillose, shiny, brown.

Habitat

Naturalized as a ruderal or weed of cultivated ground; 840 m.

Distribution

U3 pantropical

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa y cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 1 - 200 m.; Islas Caribeñas, Llanura del Caribe.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

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

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Cultivated

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

Vernacular

Bansam, Blue Andana, Blue Rattlesnake, Blue Rattleweed, Cascabelillo, Cascabelito, Cascavelle a Fleurs Blanches, Cascavelle a Fleurs Bleues, Cascavelle Bleu, Cascavelle Bleue, Chochito, Crotalaria Lengua De Vaca, Jac Beerie Gha, Jhunjhunia, Nil-andana-hir

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular

SWEET PEA

Morphology General Habit

A low bushy annual less than 1 m tall, with 4-angled stems

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, somewhat glaucous, ovate or roundish from an abruptly tapered base, 2–7 cm long, glabrous above, minutely pubescent beneath; stipules roundish-lunate and deflexed, up to 10 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes densely several–many-flowered; calyx 2-lipped, 7–9 mm long, about half as long as the corolla, the lobes narrowly triangular and acuminate; standard whitish or pale lavender-blue; keel violet or purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Pod obovoid-oblong, beaked, 3–3.5 cm long, finely appressed-puberulous.

Distribution

Cayman Islands. Pantropical.

Ecology

In pastures and along sandy roadsides.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

33.30% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Barclay & Earle, 1974)

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 1–200 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Atlántico, Bolívar, San Andrés y Providencia.

Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: savanna, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub, 2–3 ft. high, with angular branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pale yellow tinged blue, in leaf-opposed and terminal racemes.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses.

Use Medicines

Medical uses.

Use Poisons

Poisons.