Crotalaria juncea Linnaeus (1753: 714)

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 : 41

15. Crotalaria juncea Linnaeus (1753: 714) .

Lectotype (designated by Fawcett & Rendle 1920):—S. loc., s.col., Herb. Linn. n. 895.11 (LINN 895.11 digital image!)

Subshrubs to 2 m high; branches, ribbed, pubescent; internodal stem wings absent. Leaves simple, blades oblong- elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 3–8 × 0.5–1.5 cm, pubescent above and beneath; stipules filiform, 2–3 mm long. Inflorescence a raceme, 8–28 cm long, terminal or axillary; peduncles 2.5–5 cm long. Flowers 6–19, pedicels 5–10 mm long; bracts 3–5 × 1–2 mm, elliptic- lanceolate, persistent; bracteoles 2–4 × 1 mm, elliptic- lanceolate, persistent; calyx 14–20 mm long, deeply divided into 2 lips, velutinous; corolla bright yellow; the standard petal 2–2.7 × 1.5–2 cm; wing petals 1.7–2.2 cm long; keel petals 1.7–2.1 cm long, twisted; ovary 5–6 mm long, velvety tomentose, sessile; style geniculate. Legumes 2–4 × 0.8–1.3 cm, cilyndrical, velvety tomentose, brown at the maturity, ca 10-seeded; seeds 7 × 5 mm, seed coat brown or black.

Distribution and Ecology: — Crotalaria juncea is native to India but widely cultivated in the tropics for its fiber or as green manure ( Polhill 1982). In Brazil, the taxon is cultivated or occurs as a ruderal species in disturbed areas.

Selected specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Mato Grosso: Itiquira, 12April 2001, Flores 536 & Rodrigues ( UEC). Minas Gerais: São Gonçalo do Sapucaí, 15 October 2001, Flores et al. 673 ( UEC). Paraná: Campo Magro, Caverna do Sumidouro , 3 March 1997, Svolenski & Tiepolo 343 ( MBM). Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, April 1971, Occhioni 4521 (CH) . Rio Grande do Sul: Bom Princípio , 17 March 1999, Rodrigues 945 ( ICN) ; Irai, 20 April 1985, Perez et al. s.n. ( ICN 83360 ). São Paulo: Campinas, 27 August 2001, Flores & Rodrigues 609 ( UEC) .