Crotalaria retusa 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 retusa L.

  • Description

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    Species Description - Erect subshrub to 1 m tall, branching near the base or along main stem; young parts sericeous. Leaves simple; blades 3-10 x 1-3.5 cm, oblanceolate to spatulate, chartaceous, lower surface densely sericeous, the apex mucronulate, rounded or notched, the base attenuate, the margins entire; petioles 2-3 mm long, slender; stipules minute, persistent. Racemes to 25 cm long, tenriinal, fewflowered; bracts minute, early deciduous. Calyx broadly bellshaped, 12-14 mm long, puberulent; corolla yellow, the standard ovate, clawed, to 18 mm long, with reddish veins within, the keel and wings as long as the standard. Legume 2.5-4.5 x 1.1-1.3 cm, oblong, glabrous, nearly cylindrical, impressed along both sutures, dehiscent, blackish at maturity. Seeds numerous, ca. 4 mm long, kidney-shaped to cordate, dark brown, shiny.

  • Discussion

    Common names: rattle box, yellow lupine.

  • Distribution

    A common weed of open disturbed areas. Cruz Bay (A3085). Bovocop Point (A1975). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda; originally from Asia, now pantropical.

    Asia| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|