Crotalaria lotifolia L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Crotalaria lotifolia L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Erect subshrub to 1 m tall, branching along main stem: young parts densely sericeous. Leaves trifoliolate; leaflets 1—4 x 0.4— 0.9 cm, oblanceolate, chartaceous, lower surface densely sericeous, the apex rounded or notched, the base attenuate, the margins entire; petioles 0.5-3.5 cm long, slender; stipules early deciduous. Pseudoracemes to 2 cm long, axillary, few-flowered; bracts minute, early deciduous. Calyx 5-7 mm long, sericeous; corolla yellow, the standard ovate, clawed, 9-11 mm long, with reddish veins, the keel and wings as long as the standard. Legume 2-3 x 0.4-0.7 cm, hanging, oblong, pubescent, slightly inflated, impressed along both sutures, dehiscent, tan. Seeds numerous, ca. 3 mm long, kidney-shaped, light brown, dull.

  • Discussion

    Note: The original spelling of this name was published as latifolia but was corrected to lotifolia by subsequent author

  • Distribution

    A common weed of open dry areas. WMte Cliffs (A2038), along trail from Lameshur to Reef Bay (A2719). Also on Anegada, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Virgin Gorda; throughout the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America.

    Central America| México Mexico North America| West Indies| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Anegada Virgin Islands South America|