Crotalaria alata Buchanan-Hamilton ex Don (1825: 241)

Ninkaew, Sakuntala, Balslev, Henrik, Pornpongrungrueng, Pimwadee & Chantaranothai, Pranom, 2017, Crotalaria L. (Fabaceae: Faboideae) in continental Southeast Asia, Phytotaxa 320 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

2. Crotalaria alata Buchanan-Hamilton ex Don (1825: 241) . Type:— NEPAL. 19 July 1802, Buchanan-Hamilton s.n .

(holotype BM000521598!). ( Figures 30A & 30B ).

= Crotalaria collettii Prain (1897: 349) . Type :— MYANMAR. Upper Burma, Popah hill, 5000 feet, December 1887, Collett 21 (holotype K000591102 !).

= Crotalaria alata Léveillé (1914: 229) . Type :— CHINA. 1 December 1904, Esquirol 339 (holotype E00284751 !).

Herb, erect, 0.5–1 m high; stem and branches winged, brown pubescent. Leaves simple. Stipules producing wings along the entire internodes; apex triangular, 4–10 mm long, brown pubescent, persistent. Petioles 3–5 mm long, brown pubescent. Lamina obovate, lanceolate, oblong or elliptic 3.5–14.5 × 0.4–5 cm, base cuneate or obtuse, apex acute, obtuse or mucronate apiculate, margin entire, both surfaces brown pubescent; lateral veins 4–9 pairs. Inflorescences inserted on the internodes, open racemes, 5–20 cm long; peduncle 3–13 cm long, brown pubescent. Bracts ovate or lanceolate, 3–5 × 1–3 mm, persistent. Pedicels 3–4 mm long, brown pubescent. Bracteoles inserted on the calyx tube, lanceolate, 4–5 × 0.8–1 mm. Calyx 7–12 mm long, campanulate, bilabiate; tube 3–6 mm long; lobes triangular, 4–6 mm long, glabrous inside, brown pubescent outside. Corolla yellow. Standard: claw 1.3–1.5 mm long, glabrous, margin white tomentose; blade obovate, 5–6 × 6–6.5 mm, base obtuse, apex rounded with sparse brown pubescence, margin glabrous. Wings: claw 1–1.5 mm long, glabrous; blade elliptic or oblong, 5–6 × 2.5–3 mm, base oblique, apex obtuse, margin glabrous. Keel: claw 0.5–1 mm long, glabrous; blade obovate, 5.7–6.5 × 3–4 mm, beak spirally twisted, base cuneate, apex attenuate, margin white pubescent. Stamens: filaments fused for proximal 2.5–3 mm, free for distal 2.5–4 mm; anthers either narrowly linear, 1–1.5 mm long or elliptic, 0.3–0.4 mm long. Ovary with 0.4–0.5 mm long stipe, oblong, 2–3 mm long, glabrous; style 5.5–6 mm long, adaxially white pubescent in a single line along the along the distal edge, abaxially glabrous. Pods with 4–6 mm long stipe, oblong, 2.8–3.2 × 0.4–0.6 cm, brown-black, glabrous. Seeds reniform, 3–3.5 × 2.5–3 mm, brown-black, arillate.

Representative specimens: — CAMBODIA. Kampong Chhnang: 24 October 1927, Poilane 14392 ( P) . Kampong Speu: Kirirom National Park , 9 November 1965, Maree 777 ( P) . Mondulkiri: 28 October 2006, Long et al. CL319 ( P) . LAOS. Luang Prabang: Phonthong , 1 January 1954, Vidal 2609 ( P) . Savannakhet: 17 October 1938, Poilane 28107 ( K, L, P) . Vientiane: Ban Huai Yang , 29 September 1998, Lamxay et al. 157 ( FOF) . MALAYSIA. Penang: 18 October 2007, Yao 57895 ( KEP) . MYANMAR. Chin State: Kanpetlet , 7 September 2013, Fujikawa et al. 095152 ( QBG) . Prome : 1826, Wallich 5357 ( K) . No locality, 22 August 1890, Huk s.n. ( P) . SINGAPORE. Ang Mo Kia , 1984, Ridley s.n. ( SING) . Changi: 1892, Ridley s.n. ( SING) . Bukit Timak : 1900, Ridley s.n. ( SING) . THAILAND. Buriram: 26 November 1976, Phengklai et al. 3432 ( BKF) . Chiang Mai: Samoeng , 6 December 2008, Jatupol 08-450 ( PSU, QBG) . Chiang Rai: 27 October 1962, Smitinand 7563 ( BKF) . Chon Buri: Si Racha , 26 October 1927, Collins 1673 ( BK) . Kanchanaburi: Si Sawat , 26 June 1974, Larsen & Larsen 33812 ( AAU, BKF, K) . Khon Kaen: Phu Wiang National Park , 11 November 2014, Ninkaew 284 ( KKU) . Lampang: Doi Luang National Park , 12 December 1998, Petmit 373 ( BKF) . Lamphun: Doi Khun Tan National Park , 18 November 1993, Maxwell 93-1379 ( BKF) . Loei: Wang Saphung , 15 October 1980, Smitinand 2024 ( BKF) . Mae Hong Son: Khun Yuam , 7 September 1974, Larsen 34262 ( AAU) . Maha Sarakham: Phayakkhaphum Phisai , 2 October 1985, Paisooksantivatana y1626-85 ( BK) . Nan: Doi Phu Kha National Park, Doi Phu Wae , 5 September 2001, Srisanga 2179 ( BKF, KEP, QBG) . Nakhon Ratchasima: Pak Thong Chai , 1 November 1969, Beusekom & Charoenphol 1988 ( AAU, BKF) . Phayao: Maeka , 12 September 2009, Nangngam 1903 ( CMUB) . Phetchabun: Nam Nao National Park , 24 November 2013, Ninkaew 263 ( KKU) . Sakon Nakhon: Phu Phan National Park , 12 November 2013, Ninkaew 290 ( KKU) . Tak: Mae Sot , 26 June 1985, Paisooksantivatana y1554-85 ( BK) . Ubon Ratchathani: 9 December 1982, Koyama et al. T-30701 ( BKF) . Yasothon: Sai Mun , 18 August 2014, Ninkaew 336 ( KKU) . VIETNAM. Dak Lak: Ban Me Thuot , 8 November 1949, Schmid 778 ( P) . Gia Lai: Ayun Pa , 16 March 1980, Loc P 4220 ( HNU) . Kon Tum: Dak Kan Ta , 6 November 1978, Loc & Ba P 3841 ( HNU) . Lang Son: Huu Lung, Hoa Thang , 19 October 1963, Nghia s.n. ( HNU) . Ninh Thuan: Phan Rang-Thap Cham, Cana , 31 October 1925, Evrard 2346 ( P) . Son La: Moc Chau , 25 November 1961, Khoi 911 ( HNU) .

Distribution: —North America, Africa, Asia ( India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore), Australia. ( Figure 2 ).

Ecology: —Roadsides and open areas in deciduous dipterocarp, mixed deciduous, dry evergreen and pine forests, elevation 5–1300 m.

Notes: — Crotalaria alata is easy to identify by its winged stems and glabrous pods. Prain (1897) established C. collettii based on Collett 21 which has smaller orbicular leaves with obtuse apices coriaceous, leafy elongated peduncle and distinctly stalked pods. After examination of the specimens, we found that these characters are not sufficient to separate C. collettii from C. alata Buchanan-Hamilton ex D. Don , and therefore, we place this name in synonymy of the species.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Crotalaria alata in continental Southeast Asia.

FIGURE 30. Crotalaria in continental Southeast Asia: A & B) C. alata; C) C. albida; D) C. assamica; E) C. bracteata; F) C. chinensis; G) C. goreensis; H & I) C. incana; J & K) C. juncea; L) C. medicaginea; M) C. pallida N) C. sessiliflora and O) C. verrucosa.