OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fabales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Crotalaria spectabilis

SYNONYMOUS WITH Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)

Crotalaria spectabilis

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-11-004:

Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae

(?) Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Crotalaria retzii

 

COMMON NAME:
Showy Rattlebox


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm081009_200

October    Dorchester County    SC

McAlhany Nature Preserve

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm081009_202

October    Dorchester County    SC

McAlhany Nature Preserve

Leaves have short petioles and are smooth above, densely hairy beneath, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm081009_202b

October    Dorchester County    SC

McAlhany Nature Preserve

Legume (pod) cylindric with hairlike tip, appearing inflated, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm081009_207

October    Dorchester County    SC

McAlhany Nature Preserve

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm161001_064

September    Chesterfield County    SC

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm161001_066

September    Chesterfield County    SC

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

Leaves 2-6" long, obovate, tapering to the base, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

JK Marlow    jkm161001_067

September    Chesterfield County    SC

Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge

Pedicels subtended by a persistent 7-12mm bract & bearing two 1mm bractlets, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

Sharleen Johnson    shj_559311122305488

December    Charleston County    SC

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

Sharleen Johnson    shj_834733144467100

December    Charleston County    SC

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org    bug_1391154

Month Unknown        

Flowers deep yellow, pea-like, borne in a showy many-flowered raceme, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

Wendy VanDyk Evans, Bugwood.org    bug_2190030

Month Unknown        

image of Crotalaria spectabilis, Showy Rattlebox

Wendy VanDyk Evans, Bugwood.org    bug_2190032

Month Unknown        

Seeds rattle in the inflated ripened pods, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Crotalaria spectabilis

SYNONYMOUS WITH Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)
Crotalaria spectabilis

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-11-004:
Crotalaria spectabilis   FAMILY Fabaceae

(?) Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Crotalaria retzii

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

408

Forb
Annual

Habitat: Fields, roadsides, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: southern Asia

Common (rare in Mountains)

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.


Invasive?

This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly alternate
Stipules tardily deciduous

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Yellow
Bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed campanulate calyx
5-parted papilionaceous corolla
10 stamens, monadelphous, of 2 lengths
Superior ovary

Flowers in racemes

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Legume

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME: