Crotalaria virgulata Klotzsch

Thicket rattlebox (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Fabales > Fabaceae > Crotalaria

Characteristics

Erect or rather spreading annual or short-lived perennial, up to 5–17 dm. tall, variably branched.. Stem subappressed pubescent with fine rather irregularly arranged white hairs, rarely spreading and dense.. Leaves mostly crowded on very short axillary shoots, appearing fasciculate, 3-foliolate; leaflets linear-oblanceolate to oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, rarely obovate, up to 10–25 mm. long, 2–8 mm. wide, glabrous or pubescent above, pubescent beneath; petiole slender, ± 3–8 mm. long.. Stipules filiform or linear-subulate, up to 1–2 mm. long.. Inflorescences usually both lax terminal or leaf-opposed racemes, up to 6–22 cm. long, with a number of flowers, and also short slender axes apparently axillary from the leaf-clusters, with up to 1–4 flowers, up to ± 2 cm. long; bracts linear to linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm. long, shorter than the pedicel; bracteoles inserted on the pedicel, filiform, small.. Calyx 5–7(–8) mm. long, with the tube protracted on the lower side, appressed pubescent; upper lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular, much longer than the tube.. Standard broadly elliptic to obovate or suborbicular, yellow, veined reddish-brown, densely pubescent outside; wings oblong-obovate, nearly as long as the keel; keel bent at right-angles in the lower half, with a long narrow twisted beak, 10–13 mm. long, lanate along the upper margin.. Pod subsessile to shortly stipitate, shortly oblong-ellipsoid or somewhat obovoid, 11–14(–18) mm. long, 5–7 mm. across, usually rather densely subappressed pubescent outside, sometimes ± glabrescent, pubescent inside, ± 6–12(–18)-seeded.. Seeds oblique-cordiform, ± 3 mm. long, smooth, brown.
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Decumbent to erect annual or short-lived perennial, up to 1.8 m tall; branches subappressed pubescent to spreading hirsute. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets linear or oblanceolate to elliptic-oblong or obovate, 4-50 x 2 15 mm, hairy on both surfaces or only beneath; petiole 2-30 mm long. Stipules subulate to attenuate-triangular, 1-3 mm long. Racemes usually of two sorts: primary racemes terminal or leaf-opposed on long shoots, 2-40 cm long, laxly 3-40-flowered, indeterminate (ending in a bud) or determinate (ending in a bristle-like extension of the rhachis); supplementary inflorescences usually developed (at least later in the season) from short shoots in axils of main leaves, with 1-2 flowers on a ± filiform axis 0.2-2.5 cm long; bracts linear-subulate to linear-lanceolate, 0.5-4 mm long, usually shorter than the pedicel; bracteoles on the pedicel, setaceous. Calyx 3.5-9 mm long, pubescent; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular (rarely somewhat oblong and apiculate in subsp. pauciflora), 1.5-2.5 times as long as the tube, lanate along the inner margins (particularly of lower lobes when young). Standard broadly elliptic, yellow, often lined red, pubescent or rarely almost glabrous outside; wings broadened upwards, nearly as long as the keel; keel angular, with a narrow twisted beak, 6-12(44) mm long. Legume shortly stipitate, ± oblong-obovoid (sometimes only slightly broadened apically), 845 x 5-9 mm, pubescent outside and sometimes also inside, 6-10(42)-seeded. Seeds oblique-cordiform, 2.2-3 mm long, smooth, brown.
Decumbent to erect annual, occasionally perennial herb, 0.1-1.0(-1.8) m high. Branches subappressed-pubescent to spreading hirsute. Leaflets linear to ± oblanceolate, sometimes hairy on both surfaces, 4-50 mm long. Inflorescences: primary racemes terminal or leaf-opposed, laxly 3-40-flowered; supplementary inflorescences in axils of main leaves with 1 or 2 flowers. Flowers yellow. Calyx pubescent; lobes 1.5-2.5x as long as tube. Petals: often lined red; wings nearly as long as keel; keel angular. Pod shortly stipitate, ± oblong-obovoid, 8-15 mm long, pubescent, 6-10(-12)-seeded. Seeds oblique cordiform, smooth, brown.
Racemes usually of two sorts; primary racemes terminal or leaf-opposed on long shoots, 2–40 cm long, laxly 3–40-flowered, indeterminate (ending in a bud) or determinate (ending in a bristle-like extension of the rhachis); supplementary inflorescences usually developed (at least later in the season) from short shoots in axils of the main leaves, with 1–2 flowers on a filiform axis 0.2–2.5 cm long; bracts 0.5–4 mm long, linear-subulate to linear-lanceolate, usually shorter than the pedicel; bracteoles on the pedicel, setaceous.
Leaves 3-foliolate, sometimes mostly on short shoots; leaflets 4–50 × 2–15 mm, linear or oblanceolate to elliptic-oblong or obovate, hairy on both surfaces or only beneath; petiole 2–30 mm long; stipules 1–3 mm long, subulate to attenuate-triangular.
Calyx 3.5–9 mm long, pubescent; lobes narrowly attenuate-triangular (rarely somewhat oblong and apiculate in subsp. pauciflora), 1.5–2.5 times as long as the tube, lanate along the inner margins (particularly of the lower lobes) when young.
Standard broadly elliptic, yellow, often lined red, pubescent or rarely almost glabrous outside; wings broadened upwards, nearly as long as the keel; keel 6–12(14) mm long, angular, with a narrow twisted beak.
Pod shortly stipitate, 8–15 × 5–9 mm, ± oblong-obovoid (sometimes only slightly broadened apically), pubescent outside and sometimes also inside, 6–10(12)-seeded.
Decumbent to erect annual or short-lived perennial, up to 1.8 m tall; branches subappressed pubescent to spreading hirsute.
Seeds 2.2–3 mm long, oblique-cordiform, smooth, brown.
Life form annual
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 1.8
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer rhizobia
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Light 7-9
Soil humidity 3-7
Soil texture 3-4
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

Uses environmental use
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 21 - 30
Germination temperacture (C°) 18 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Crotalaria virgulata world distribution map, present in Angola, Australia, Brazil, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Thailand, Tanzania, United Republic of, United States of America, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:322615-2
WFO ID wfo-0000210678
COL ID ZP9H
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 631018
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Crotalaria virgulata Crotalaria shamvaensis Crotalaria virgatula Crotalaria virgulata subsp. virgulata

Lower taxons

Crotalaria virgulata subsp. longistyla Crotalaria virgulata subsp. forbesii Crotalaria virgulata subsp. pauciflora Crotalaria virgulata subsp. grantiana