Crotalaria verrucosa

(Blue-flowered Rattlepod)

Description

An annual herb to 1 m tall with squarish stems in cross-section, markedly ridged on the angles. Leaves are simple, the lamina is blue-green up to 16 cm long and 11 cm wide, but there is much variation, the margins are wavy and there are short hairs on both surfaces. Flowers pea-shaped borne in a raceme up to 25 cm long, may be terminal or axillary. Standard to 16 mm long, blue with darker blue streaks. Pod is 33.5-6.5 cm long, inflated, brownish and is covered in short, whitish hairs. Up to 30 brown seeds per pod. Does not appear to be toxic.

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