About Crotalaria retusa L.
This species has the scientific name Crotalaria retusa L. It is an annual herb reaching 60–150 centimetres (2–5 ft) in height, with erect, angular, green branches. Its soft, alternate leaves are dark green on the upper surface and lighter underneath, with a narrowly oblong or wedge-shaped form. Yellow flowers grow widely spaced in racemes at the end of the stem. Thin-walled pods are widely spaced along the stems; when ripe, the pods are purple to black, and hold approximately 18-20 small brown seeds. In Australia, where it is classified as a native species, it grows in the Kimberley region on sand, clay, sandstone, and rocky basaltic soils. It can be found along creeks and rivers, and on floodplains. Crotalaria retusa is cultivated as a fibre crop and as green manure. It is also used as a forage plant for livestock, although it is poisonous to these animals.
