Crotalaria rotundifolia J.F. Gmel.

Low Rattlebox; Rabbitbells;

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Rabbitbells is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Rabbitbells occurs in sandy pine woods, in prairies, on roadsides, and in lawns. It is a perennial with a tap root. Several prostrate to ascending stems arise from each root crown. The stems are green or reddish brown in color and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, short petiolate, ovate to elliptic in outline, pubescent, with entire margins. Flowers are produced in erect terminal racemes. The flowers are papilionaceous and yellow in color. The fruit is an inflated oblong-cylindrical legume. The fruit turns black when mature and the seed become detached and free within the fruit. When shaken the fruit “rattles”.--A. Diamond

See reference below for discussion of the past taxonomic confusion of this taxon and C. rotundifolia.

Native FACU (NWPL)

Ward, D.B. 2009. The typification of Crotalaria rotundifolia and Crotalaria maritime (Fabaceae). J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 3(1): 219-225.