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Crotalaria juncea L.
| Family Name: | Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
| Synonyms: | Crotalaria benghalensis, Crotalaria cannabinua, Crotalaria fenestrata, Crotalaria juncea var. bengalensis, Crotalaria juncea var. puncticulata |
| Common Name: | Bengal Hemp, Bombay Hemp, Madras Hemp |
Crotalaria juncea is an upright shrub that grows up to 1 m tall. This plant produces bright yellow, pea-shaped flowers on long clusters called racemes, creating a vertical display for parks and gardens. This plant thrives in full sun and moderate watering.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Annual |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 1.6 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, East and West Himalayas, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | An erect annual, grows up to 1.6m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Simple, leaf blade is oblong-lanceolate, measuring 70 - 130 mm long, and 14 - 22 mm wide, apex narrow to rounded, upper surface is thinly pilose, lower surface more conspicuously pilose, petiole measuring 3 - 5 mm long. Stipules present, filiform, about 2 mm long. |
| Stems | Stem is ribbed and pubescent. |
| Flowers | Flowers are borne on clusters known as raceme that is up to 10 - 25 cm long, each inflorescence has 8 - 20 flowers. Each flower is pea-shaped, bright yellow with faintly reddish mark and scattered hairs on the outside petals, measuring 17 - 20 mm long. Flower bracts are elliptic and have acuminate tips, 3-5 mm long. Calyx is slightly 2-lipped, 16-20 mm long, has brownish minute hairs. |
| Fruit | Seedpods are subsessile and cylindrical, measuring 32 - 55 mm long and 12 - 17 mm across. Seedpod is tomentose with mostly short spreading hairs, each pod has about 6 seeds. |
| Habitat | In its native habitat, it is found growing in deciduous bushland and grassland, at an altitude of 0 - 1250 m. |
| Etymology | The genus epithet Crotalaria means rattle, with reference to the seeds becoming loose in the inflated pods. The specific epithet juncea means rush-like. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | The plant is suitable planted in mass for its showy bright yellow, pea-like flowers. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
| Landscape Uses | General, Parks & Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bee-Attracting |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee)) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth, Velvety / Furry / Tomentose |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Oblong, Lanceolate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Rounded |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground |
| Root Symbiosis | Bacterial Nodulation |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Bilateral |
| Individual Flower Shape | Papilionaceous / Pea-shaped |
| Inflorescence Type | Raceme |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown, Black |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Velvety / Furry / Tomentose |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Mature Seed Colour(s) | Brown, Black |
| Mature Seed Texture(s) | Smooth, Hairy / Hirsute |
| Seed Description | Seed is oblique-cordiform (has unequal side of heart-shape), with the narrow end is strongly curved inwards, measuring up to 6 mm long, smooth to papillose around the hilum (scar on the seed coat), dark brown to black. |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Moderate (6-10) |
References
| References | <1> Gillett, J.B., Polhill, R.M. & Verdcourt, B. (1971). Leguminosae, Flora of Tropical East Africa. <2> Sheahan, C.M. (2012). Plant guide for sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cape May Plant Materials Center. Cape May, NJ. 08210. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 34316 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8729 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
