Plant Name
Scientific Name: Crotalaria pumila
Common Name: Low Rattlebox
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit: Subshrub, Herb/Forb
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert, Upland. It is most common in dry, sandy washes and along roadsides.
Flower Color: Yellow, Reddish yellow-orange
Flowering Season: Summer, Fall
Height: To 1 foot (30 cm) tall or more
Description: The flowers are in terminal and axillary racemes. The individual flowers are pea-like and have lightly to heavily red-streaked banner petals. The flowers are followed by large, plump, green seedpods with depressed seams. When shaken, the dry, brown seedpods make a rattling sound like that of a rattlesnake's tail. When fully dry, the seedpods explode open with an audible pop and eject the seeds a fair distance from the plant. The leaves are bright green, alternate, and trifolate with 3 oblanceolate leaflets. There is a stipule at the base of each petiole.
Special Characteristics
Poisonous – Crotalaria species are typically poisonous, and this species is likely no exception.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus: Crotalaria L. – rattlebox
Species: Crotalaria pumila Ortega – low rattlebox
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