Crotalaria sagittalis

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 : 50

31. Crotalaria sagittalis L. (1753:714).

Lectotype (designated by Windler 1972): — [Sine Country.] “ Habitat in Brasilia. Virginia,” undated, P. Kalm. 2 ( LINN 895.2 digital image!).

Subshrubs or herbs up to 0.3 m high; branches pubescent, not ribbed; internodal stem wings narrow, 2–3 × 0.3 cm, apex sagittate, apiculate or absent. Leaves simple, blades linear or linear- elliptic, 3–7.5 × 0.2–1 cm, pubescent above and beneath; stipules absent. Inflorescence a raceme, 5–20 cm long, oppositeleaf; peduncles 1–6 cm long. Flowers 1–3, pedicels 3–5 mm long; bracts 1–4 × 1–2 mm, linear, persistent; bracteoles 3 × 1 mm, linear, persistent; calyx 8–12 mm long, deeply divided into 2 lips, pilose or sericeous; corolla pale yellow; the standard petal 0.8–1 × 0.5–0.8 cm; wing petals 0.7–0.8 cm long; keel petals 0.8–0.9 cm long, twisted; ovary 3–5 mm long, glabrous, sessile; style geniculate. Legumes 3–3.5 × 0.8–1.2 cm, oblong, glabrous, black at the maturity, ca. 20-seeded; mature seeds not seen.

Distribution and Ecology: —The range of Crotalaria sagittalis extends from northern United States into South America. The taxon is found in North and Central Brazil in wet soils and margins of gallery forest.

Specimens studied: — BRAZIL. Amazonas: Humaitá, 10 June 1982, Teixeira et al. 1069 (INPA). Goiás: Alto Paraíso de Goiás, 1000m, 14 February 1966, Irwin et al. 12798 (UB). Mato Grosso do Sul: Corumbá, 03 October 1976, Allem 79 (CEN, RB). Rondônia (Território de Guaporé). Rio Guaporé, 11 June 1952, Black & Cordeiro 52–14902 (IAN). Roraima: região de Caracarahy, 06 February 1948, Fróes 23671 (IAN).