Crotalaria incana Linnaeus (1753:716)

Flores, Andréia Silva & Tozzi, Ana Maria Goulart De Azevedo, 2018, A synopsis of the genus Crotalaria (Leguminosae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 346 (1), pp. 31-58 : 39-41

13. Crotalaria incana Linnaeus (1753:716) .

Lectotype (designated by Polhill 1997):—Tab. 179, fig. 1, “ Crotalaria trifolia fruticosa foliis rotundis incanis floribus spicatis è viridisluteis fructu pubescente” in Sloane , Voyage to Jamaica, 2. 1725.

Shrub or subshrub 1–2 m high; branches sericeous or pilose; internodal stem wings absent. Leaves 3-foliolate, digitate, petioles 1.7—8 cm long; leaflets obovate- elliptic to obovate, 1.3–6 × 0.9–4 cm, glabrescent above and glabrous or glabrescent beneath; stipules 2–5 mm long, subulate. Inflorescence a raceme, (6–)10–20(–40) cm long, opposite to a leaf or terminal; peduncles 1.5–4.5 cm long. Flowers 5–20, pedicels 3–5 mm long; bracts 3–6 mm long, subulate, persistent; bracteoles 3–5 mm long, subulate, persistent; calyx 8–10 mm long, lobes two or three times as long as the tube, pubescent; corolla pale yellow; the standard petal 1–1.3 × 0.8–1 cm; wing petals 0.9–1.1 cm long; keel petals 1–1.2 cm long, untwisted, lanate on the upper margin, untwisted; ovary 5 mm long, short- stipitate; style curved. Legumes 3–4 × 0.8–1 cm, subcylindrical or oblong- clavate, pilose, brown at maturity, ca. 25-seeded; seeds 3 × 3 mm, seed coat brown.

Distribution and Ecology: — Crotalaria incana is native to the New World but has also been recorded from Africa and Asia. It is widely distributed in Brazil, where it is found on sandy soils, mainly in wet fields and disturbed areas.

Selected material examined: — BRAZIL. Acre: Rio Branco, 21 February 1978, Santos et al. 70 ( US). Amazonas: Manaus, 21 October 1971, Haas 506 (U). Bahia: Amélia Rodrigues, 4km SE de Amélia Rodrigues, 20 March 1987, Queiróz & Crepaldi 1454 (HUEFS). Ceará: Aiuaba, 04 July 1997, Barros 83 & Souza (HUEFS) . Espírito Santo: Vitória, Praia da Costa, 21 March 1962, Santos & Sacco 1172A (PEL). Federal District: Planaltina, Águas Emendadas Ecological Estation, 15º 35’ 752”S, 47º 38’ 776”W, 07 February 2002, Flores et al. 839 (UEC). Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, 16 May 2002, Flores & Rodrigues 980 (UEC). Mato Grosso do Sul: Campo Grande, 11 April 2001, Flores & Rodrigues 517 (UEC). Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte, 05 March 1945, Williams & Assis 5840 (GH). Paraná: Alvorada do Sul, Rio Paranapanema, 10 July 1969, Hatschbach & Guimarães 21715 (UPCB). Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, Itatiaia National Park, 21 March 1947, Occhioni 974 (HBR). Rio Grande do Sul: Osório, 18 June 1998, Flores & Rodrigues 202 (ICN). Santa Catarina: Araranguá, 18 October 1998, Flores 221 (ICN). São Paulo: Atibaia, estrada para a Pedra Grande, 03 August 2001, Flores & Schütz -Rodrigues 602 (UEC).