877

Crotalaria heyneana Graham ex Wight & Arn.

Family	:	Fabaceae
Flowering and fruiting period	:	September-December
Distribution	:	Southern Western Ghats
Distribution in Kerala	:	Palakkad, Kozhikkode, Kasaragode, Kollam,
Habitat	:	Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in the plains
Endemic/Exotic	:	Southern Western Ghats
Key botanical characters : Erect shrubs; stem 3-angled, villous. Leaves simple, alternate, ovate, obtuse, cuneate at base, minutely hairy below; stipule 7 mm broad, semi-lunar. Raceme to 20 cm long, terminal; bracts deflexed. Flowers numerous; pedicels 6-7 mm long, bracteolate at middle. Calyx 8 mm long, lobes ovate, acuminate, thinly hairy. Petals white or bluish white; standard 12 x 8 mm, glabrous; wings 10 x 6 mm; keel glabrous. Pods, minutely hispid, clawed.