Crotalaria retusa L.
Wedgeleaf Rattlepod

Scientific Description

Erect, herb. Stems terete, not spiny, hairy; pustules or glands absent. Leaves or phylloclades clearly present, simple, alternate, continuous with stem, 35-60 mm long, 6-22 mm wide, hairy, with simple hairs, flat with flat margins; margins entire; tubercles absent; pustules or glands absent. Stipules present and persistent to older leaves. Pedicel present, 5-5.5 mm long, hairy. Bracteoles present and persistent. Calyx 9-10 mm long, not accrescent, hairy, with simple hairs, ribless; pustules or glands absent. Corolla 12-14.5 mm long, uniformly coloured, yellow; claws present; standard 11.5-13 mm long, glabrous, not auriculate, wings 10.5-12 mm long, not auriculate, keel 11-12.5 mm long, beaked, not auriculate, glabrous. Stamens ten; anthers 1-1.4 mm long, at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short); filaments united in an open sheath, 8.5-10 mm long. Ovary stipitate, hairy or glandular; style 13-16.5 mm long, hairy or glandular towards the base, not bearded, terete. Fruit dehiscent (a pod or follicle), stipitate, not constricted between the seeds, round in cross-section, glabrous, not beaked. Flowers in March, April, May, June, July and August. Occurs in the Northern Botanical Province, in the Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley, Ord-Victorian-Plain and Dampierland IBRA regions.