猪屎豆 zhu shi dou

Crotalaria mucronata Desvaux; C. obovata G. Don; C. pallida var. obovata (G. Don) Polhill; C. striata Candolle.

Herbs, perennial. Branches terete, ribbed, densely appressed pubescent. Stipules acicular, very minute, caducous. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 2-4 cm; petiolules 1-2 mm; leaflet blades oblong to elliptic, 3-6 × 1.5-3 cm, abaxially sparsely silky pubescent, adaxially glabrous, veins distinct on both sur­faces, base broadly cuneate, apex obtuse to retuse. Racemes ter­minal, ca. 25 cm, 10-40-flowered; bracts linear, ca. 4 mm, caducous. Pedicel 3-5 mm; bracteoles inserted at base of calyx tube, similar to bracts, ca. 2 mm. Calyx subcampanulate, 4-6 mm, 5-lobed, densely pubescent; lobes triangular, ± as long as tube. Corolla yellow, exserted beyond calyx; standard orbicular to elliptic, ca. 1 cm in diam., base with 2 appendages; wings oblong, ca. 8 mm, marginally pilose on basal part; keel ca. 1.2 cm, rather shallowly rounded, marginally pilose at base, beak narrow and ± projecting. Ovary subsessile. Legume oblong, 3-4 × 0.5-0.8 cm, 20-30-seeded, pilose when young but gla­brescent. Fl. Sep-Oct, fr. Nov-Dec.

Grasslands, disturbed sandy areas; 100-1100 m. Fujian, Guang­dong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Shandong, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, tropical America].

Crotalaria pallida is a very weedy species that is adventive throughout the tropics. It is suspected of being poisonous to livestock.