Crotalaria nitens Kunth (1824:399)

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 : 46

23. Crotalaria nitens Kunth (1824:399) ( Fig. 4c ).

Type: —[ COLOMBIA.] “Nova Granata, crescit prope Mariquita et Honda, 160–400 hex,” undated, F.W.H.A. Humboldt & A.J.A. Bonpland s.n. (holotype: P 00660097 digital image!).

Subshrub or shrub 1–2 m high; branches finely pubescent, not ribbed; internodal stem wings absent. Leaves simple, blades oblong or oblong elliptic, 5.5–12 × 1.5–3.5 cm, pubescent above and beneath; stipules absent. Inflorescence a raceme, 11–26 cm long, terminal; peduncles 2–5 cm long. Flowers 7–20, pedicels 5–6 mm long; bracts 4–7 × 1–2 mm, linear, persistent; bracteoles 4–7 × 1–2 mm, linear, persistent; calyx 10–13 mm, deeply divided into 2 lips, pubescent; corolla pale yellow; the standard petal 1–1.1 × 1–1.2 cm; wing petals 1–1.2 cm long; keel petals 1–1.2 cm long, twisted; ovary 3–4 mm long, subsessile, glabrous; style geniculate. Legumes 3–5.2 × 1–1.5 cm, oblong, glabrous, black at the maturity, ca. 30-seeded; seeds 4 × 4 mm, seed coat brown or greenish.

Distribution and Ecology: — Crotalaria nitens is widespread in the Neotropics, from North America into northern South America. Its southern limit of distribution is the northern portion of Mato Grosso and Bolivia. This species occurs in open fields or along the borders of dryland forests on clay soils of Amazonian region.

Selected specimens studied: — BRAZIL. Amazonas: Esperança, boca do Javari , 18 October 1945, Ducke 1816 (F, IAN). Pará: Belém, 15 February 1957, Black 57–19032 ( IAN) ; São Geraldo do Araguaia, 6º13’S 48º27’W, Santa Cruz do Araguaia, Riacho Fundo , 9 July 1995, Aragão & Bastos 112 ( IAN) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Habit of (a) Crotalaria martiana subsp. martiana Benth. (Irwin et al. 22820, UEC), (b) Crotalaria martiana subsp. mohlenbrockii (Windler & S.G. Skinner) Planchuelo (Flores et al. 880, UEC), (c) Crotalaria nitens Kunth (Cid & Lima 3267, MG), (d) Crotalaria otoptera Benth. (Flores & Rodrigues 1005, UEC). Scale bar: 5 cm.