Crotalaria laburnifolia Linnaeus (1753: 715)

Ninkaew, Sakuntala, Balslev, Henrik, Pornpongrungrueng, Pimwadee & Chantaranothai, Pranom, 2017, Crotalaria L. (Fabaceae: Faboideae) in continental Southeast Asia, Phytotaxa 320 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

21. Crotalaria laburnifolia Linnaeus (1753: 715) . Type (lectotype designated by Niyomdham 1978):— INDIA. Herb.

Hermann 4: 1, No. 278 ( lectotype BM000628017 !) .

= Crotalaria pendula Bertero ex Candolle (1825: 130) . Type:—cultivated in “Hort. Eastensi Jamaicae” (holotype G00457860! seen on image).

= Crotalaria helenae Buscalioni & Muschler (1913: 469) . Type:— KENYA. Masai district , R. Uaso Nyiro (Guasso Nyiro), Aosta 1595 (holotype B n.v.).

Shrublet, 1–2 m high; young branches terete, glabrous. Leaves digitately 3-foliolate. Stipules absent. Petioles 1.3–6 cm long, glabrous. Petiolules 2–3 mm long. Leaflets elliptic or obovate, 3–4 × 2–3 cm, base cuneate, apex acute or rounded, margin entire, glabrous upper, brown pubescent lower; lateral veins 4–6 pairs. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, open racemes, 15–40 cm long; peduncle 3–11 cm long, glabrous. Bracts narrowly linear, 2–4 mm long, persistent. Pedicels 1.2–1.8 cm long, glabrous. Bracteoles inserted in the the middle of the pedicel, narrowly linear, 0.5–1 mm long, caducous. Calyx 6–8 mm long, campanulate, bilabiate; tube ca. 3 mm long; lobes triangular, 3–5 mm long, both sides glabrous. Corolla yellow. Standard: claw 5–6 mm long, glabrous, margin white tomentose; blade broadly ovate, 20–25 × 18–20 mm, base cordate, apex acute, margin glabrous. Wings: claw 5–6 mm long, glabrous; blade elliptic, 15–17 × 7–8 mm, base oblique, apex acute or obtuse, margin glabrous. Keel: claw 5–6 mm long, glabrous, margin white tomentose; blade obovate, 23–25 × 15–17 mm, beak not twisted, base oblique, apex attenuate, margin glabrous. Stamens: filaments fused for proximal 11–15 mm, free for distal 6–7 mm, glabrous; anthers either narrowly linear, 2– 2.3 mm long or oblong, 1–1.2 mm long, glabrous. Ovary with 0.6–0.8 mm long stipe, oblong, 5–6 mm long, glabrous; style 23–25 mm long, adaxially white pubescent in a single line along the distal edge, abaxially glabrous. Pods with 1.4–2 cm long stipe, oblong, 3–5 × 0.7–1 cm, brown, glabrous. Seeds reniform, 4.5–5 × 3–3.5 mm, brown-black.

Representative specimens: — SINGAPORE. Western Catchment , Live Firing Area D, 30 March 2004, Samsuri et al. WC8 ( SING) . THAILAND. Pattani: Khok Pho, 5 April 1928, Kerr 15077 ( BK) . Phetchaburi: 8 November 1926, Kerr 11070 ( BK, K) . Prachuap Khiri Khan: Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park , 16 August 1992, Niyomdham 3025 ( AAU, BKF) .

Distribution: —North America, Asia ( India, Thailand, Singapore), Australia. ( Figure 13 ).

Ecology: —Roadsides, elevation 25–200 m.

Notes: —This species is distinguished by its long stipitate pods, lacking stipules, persistent bracts, leaf-opposed inflorescences and glabrous peduncle.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Distribution map of Crotalaria laburnifolia and C. larsenii in continental Southeast Asia.