Rattlepod
Crotalaria montana, Fam. Fabaceae
Annual or perennial, prostrate to erect, up to 1 m high. Stems are covered by hairs closely adpressed to the surface, whitish at first, then sometimes ferruginous. Synonym Crotalaria linifolia.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Herb |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Leaf: | Simple, variable, linear to oblong or broad-elliptic, 0.8-4.5 x 0.2-0.8cm, variously pubescent but more densely below than above, sometimes glabrous. Petiole 1mm long. Stipules absent or minute. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow, Red |
| Flower description: | Racemes of many pea shaped flowers, up to 30 cm long. Pedicels 3-5mm long. Calyx 8mm long, pubescent. Corolla 5-8mm long, yellow, often marked with red streaks. Wings slightly shorter than keel; keel with a narrow, beak 4-6mm long, twisted at apex. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Black, Grey |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Dark grey to blackish, globular, glabrous pods, 6-7mm long. Containing six to 16 shiny, dark brown to greenish seed, approximately 2mm long. |
| Habitat: | Open forest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New Guinea. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea. |
| Notes: | This species is often confused with C. brevis which has leaves to 2cm long but larger flowers and the apex of the standard is not indented. |
| Information sources: | James Cook University (2022) Crotalaria montana, Plants by common name., PlantNET (2022) Crotalaria montana Roth. FloraOnline. |
