Crotalaria comanestiana Volkens & Schweinf.

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Much-branched rather straggling erect perennial, up to 1·3 m. tall.

Morphology Branches

Branches densely white appressed tomentellous; bark becoming slightly fissured and peeling.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3(–4)-foliolate; leaflets narrowly to broadly elliptic or obovate, up to 38–65 mm. long, 27–45 mm. wide, glabrous above, appressed pubescent beneath; petiole ± 30–70 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules filiform. 1–4 mm. long, rather persistent or deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes up to 9–40 cm, long, with a number of fairly closely arranged flowers; bracts linear or subulate, 1–4 mm. long, somewhat persistent or caducous; bracteoles inserted at the base of the calyx, filiform or subulate, up to 1·5–3·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–7(–8) mm. long, appressed pubescent; lobes deltoid or triangular, usually a little shorter than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular, yellow, turning orange or brown with reddish or purplish veins, glabrous or with a few hairs medially outside; wings usually a little shorter than the keel; keel rounded below the middle, with a well-developed straight or slightly incurved untwisted beak, (15–) 17–23 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod oblong -clavate, gradually tapered into a 5–7 mm. long stipe, 35–50 mm. long, 10–12 mm. across, appressed pubescent outside, glabrous inside, ± 20–26-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Mature seeds unknown.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland, in open stony places or depressions with impeded drainage and clay soils or flood plains; 750–1200 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K4 K6 T2 T7