Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Crotalaria pumila Ortega
(Low Rattlebox)


Family: Fabaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Crotalaria lupulina Kunth

Crotalaria pumila is an erect annual herb with small, distinctly keeled yellow-orange flowers. The pod is pubescent and inflated. The leaflets, mostly trifoliate, are glabrous above, pubescent below. It is found in sandy or rocky soil at lower to middle elevation. The foliage and flowers are quite similar to Lotus wrightii, but the inflated fruit is quite different.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Crotalaria pumila, photo Russ Kleinman & Carey Anne Lafferty, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, DAZ Voucher Specimen 2008-10-22-1, Oct. 22, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, closeup fruit and flower, photo Russ Kleinman & Carey Anne Lafferty, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, DAZ Voucher Specimen 2008-10-22-1, Oct. 22, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, annual root system of collected specimen, photo Russ Kleinman & Carey Anne Lafferty, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, DAZ Voucher Specimen 2008-10-22-1, Oct. 22, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, micro of fruit, photo Russ Kleinman & Carey Anne Lafferty, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, DAZ Voucher Specimen 2008-10-22-1, Oct. 22, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, micro of flower, photo Russ Kleinman & Carey Anne Lafferty, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, DAZ Voucher Specimen 2008-10-22-1, Oct. 22, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, macro of seeds, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Pancho Canyon, Nov. 7, 2008



Crotalaria pumila, macro of seeds in the rattlebox, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Canyon, Dec. 31, 2008


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