Crotalaria lunata
Common name
Rattlepod
Family
Fabaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Dicotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed description
Erect shrub or small tree, 2-5 m high; stems densely pubescent, often glabrescent. Leaves simple, ovate or elliptic, 60-130 x 33-80 mm wide, upper surface glabrous, lower surface densely greyish pubescent; petiole 10-20 mm long; stipules leafy c.10 mm long. Racemes c.150 mm long; pedicels c.15 mm long. Calyx c. 15 mm long, pubescent. Corolla 25-30 mm long, yellow with red-brown striations, wings + longer than keel; keel incurved at middle, beak c.15 mm long, twisted at apex. Pod 50-70 mm long, glabrous; seeds c.5 mm long, glossy, minutely papillose.
Flowering
August - December
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Yellow
Fruiting
Pods present throughout the year
Year naturalised
2007
Origin
India - see http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Crotalaria