Crotalaria valetonii (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Crotalaria valetonii Backer
- Family: Leguminosae - Papilionoideae
Distribution
Originated in Indonesia (Java, Madura); occasionally also cultivated elsewhere.
Uses
In the past grown as a green manure and cover crop in coffee and tea plantations, but its present use is not well known.
Observations
- Fast-growing subshrub up to 1 m tall. Branches rounded with long reddish hairs.
- Leaves simple, oblong, 3.5-9 cm × 2-4 cm, rounded-mucronulate at the apex, appressed hairs on both sides; petiole 2-5 mm long, hairy; stipules caducous.
- Inflorescence a terminal, almost horizontal, leaf-opposed raceme with 6-12 flowers; pedicel 5-8 mm long, with long hairs.
- Calyx campanulate, tube 1-2 mm long, long-hairy, teeth sharply triangular, 9-13 mm long; corolla 17-20 mm.
- Pod ovoid-ellipsoid, 15 mm × 7 mm, hairy, stalked, 1-seeded.
- Seed heart-shaped, 4.8 mm × 3 mm, black.
C. valetonii occurs in sunny dry locations, up to 150 m altitude. It also tolerates humid conditions. Under dry conditions it sets seed after 6 months and may live up to 1.5 years.
Selected sources
- Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr., R.C., 1963-1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Wolters-Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. 647, 641, 761 pp.
- Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Viêt-nam [Flora of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam] (various editors), 1960-. Volume 1-. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Phanérogamie, Paris, France.
- Heyne, K., 1950. De nuttige planten van Indonesië [The useful plants of Indonesia]. 3rd Edition. 2 volumes. W. van Hoeve, the Hague, the Netherlands/Bandung, Indonesia. 261, 1450 pp.
- Mansfeld, R., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaflicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen (ohne Zierpflanzen) [Register of cultivated agricultural and horticultural plants (without ornamentals)]. Schultze-Motel, J. et al., editors 2nd edition, 4 volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 1998 pp.
Authors
- M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen
