Crotalaria tristis Polhill

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy shrub, up to 1.3 m tall, dullish tomentose on the branches.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3-foliolate, uppermost sometimes very reduced in size; leaflets mostly 2–5 × 0.8–1.5 cm, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, dull-coloured with a short rather dense appressed pubescence on both surfaces; petioles 1–3 mm long; stipules inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes laxly few-flowered, sometimes aggregated into pseudopanicles by reduction of upper lateral flowering branches; bracts up to 2 mm long, linear; bracteoles very small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 6–8 mm long, densely appressed puberulous; upper lobes on either side oblong, obliquely truncate, coherent with the short bluntly triangular lateral lobe, shorter than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard oblate, yellow, shaded brown and tomentellous outside; wings shorter than the keel; keel 1–1.2 cm long, semicircular, crested behind the short beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod including the 5–7 mm long stipe c. 2.5 cm long, narrowly oblong-clavate, rather densely appressed pubescent, 10–12-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5–4 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, pale yellow.