Crotalaria pilosa Miller (1768

Flores, Andréia Silva & Tozzi, Ana Maria Goulart De Azevedo, 2018, A synopsis of the genus Crotalaria (Leguminosae) in Brazil, Phytotaxa 346 (1), pp. 31-58 : 48

28. Crotalaria pilosa Miller (1768 :sine pag.).

Type:— [“grows naturally at La Vera Cruz in New Spain, from whence the seeds where sent me by the late Dr. Houstoun”] undated (holotype: BM—Herbarium Miller, BM 522295 digital image!).

Herbs or subshrub 0.5–1 m high; branches pubescent, not ribbed, single or few branched; internodal stem wings narrowly, occurring throughout the length of the stem, mainly near the inflorescences, 4–10 × 0.2–0.5 cm, apex truncate or triangular. Leaves simple, blades oblong, ovate- lanceolate or linear- elliptic, 3–1.8 × 0.4–2.5 cm, pubescent above and beneath; stipules absent. Inflorescence a raceme, 4–15 cm long, terminal, internodal or opposite to a leaf; peduncles 7–10 cm long. Flowers 7–17, pedicels 3–5 mm long; bracts 2–3 × 1 mm, linear, persistent; bracteoles 1–2 × 1 mm, linear, persistent; calyx 7–14 mm long, deeply divided into 2 lips, pubescent; corolla yellow; the standard petal 0.7–1.4 × 0.5–1.2 cm; wing petals 0.7–1.2 cm long; keel petals 0.8–1.3 cm long, twisted; ovary 2–5 mm long, sessile, glabrous; style geniculate. Legumes 3.5–4 × 0.7–1 cm, oblong or obovate, glabrous, black at the maturity, ca. 20-seeded; seeds 3 × 3 mm, seed coat brown.

Distribution and Ecology: — Crotalaria pilosa is widely distributed in Neotropical regions, occurring in Mexico, Central and South America. In Brazil the species is associated with wet soils on cerrado vegetation and is less frequently seen along roadsides.

Selected specimens studied: — BRAZIL. Amapá: Macapá, April 1926, Ducke s.n. (RB 20369). Bahia: Senhor do Bonfim, Serra do Santana, 650–900m alt., 26 December 1984, Mello Silva et al. s.n. (SPF 36591). Federal District: 2km S of Guará, 19 March 1968, Irwin et al. 21418 (UB). Goiás: cerca 15km S of Araguaina, 16 March 1968, Irwin et al. 21268 (UB). Maranhão: Serra da Malícia, Dois Leques de Carolina, Rio Tocantins, 27 May 1950, Pires & Black 2315 (IAN). Mato Grosso: Rondonópolis, Pedra Preta, Serra da Petrolina, April 1979, Duarte et al. 1036 (UEC). Minas Gerais: Botumirim, Distrito de Piedade, 24 January 2002, Flores et al. 799 (UEC). Roraima: Cantá, Dormida, Serra da Lua, 10 January 1968, Prance et al. 9182 (MG). São Paulo: Pedregulho, Furnas, 14 January 1997, Aona et al. 97/17 (UEC).