Crotalaria sagittalis L.

Arrow Head Rattlebox; Common Rattlebox

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Arrow Head Rattlebox is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Arrow Head Rattlebox occurs in dry to mesic hardwood or pine woodlands, in prairies, and on roadsides. It is as annual or short-lived perennial with a tap root. The stems are erect, branched above the middle, green or reddish brown in color, and pubescent with stiff, irregularly spreading or ascending hairs 1–2 mm long. Leaves are alternate, unifoliate, subsessile, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, pubescent, with entire margins. The stipules of the upper leaves are well developed, and inversely sagittate. They are tapering-decurrent with ascending lobes, and are half the length of the internode or more. Flowers are produced in erect, 2-5 flowered terminal or axillary 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

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Native

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