球果猪屎豆 qiu guo zhu shi dou

Crotalaria elliptica Roxburgh, Fl. Ind., ed. 1832, 3: 279. 1832; C. splendens Vogel.

Herbs, to 2 m, sometimes trailing or scandent. Stems te­rete, glabrescent. Stipules ovate-triangular, 1-1.5 mm. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiolules ca. 1 mm; leaflet blades elliptic, 1-3 × 0.8-1.5 cm, abaxially pubescent, adaxially glabrous, midvein abaxially raised, base cuneate, apex obtuse and mucronate or sometimes retuse. Racemes terminal or leaf-opposed, 10-30-flowered or more; bracts ovate-triangular, ca. 1 mm. Pedicel 2-3 mm; bracteoles inserted at base of calyx tube, similar to bracts. Calyx subcampanulate, 3-4 mm, 5-lobed, densely pu­bescent; lobes broadly lanceolate, ± as long as tube. Corolla yellow, exserted beyond calyx; standard suborbicular to elliptic, ca. 5 mm; wings oblong, ± as long as standard; keel 5-6 mm, longer than standard, strongly rounded, apex with a short straight beak. Ovary subsessile. Legume ovoid, 6-7 mm, 2-seeded, pubescent. Seeds brownish. Fl. Aug-Oct, fr. Nov-Dec.

Mountains, along trails; below 100-1100 m. Guangdong, Guang­xi, Hainan [India, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam].

Crotalaria uncinella subsp. uncinella is found in Africa and the Mascarene Islands and has larger flowers (keel 0.9-1.1 cm) and leg­umes (8-11 mm).