Crotalaria L.
Tropical and subtropical genus of about 700 species, mostly African (500), which includes annual or perennial herbs, erect shrubs and prostrate subshrubs. The genus is well represented in the southern Sahara, with at least a dozen species, but with only a few shrubs. In central and northern Sahara there are 4 woody species, all except one are somewhat prostrate subshrubs, woody only at the base of the stems.
Key to species
1 Leaves compound, trifoliolate or palmate, petiolate 2
1 Leaves simple, sessile, with a single leaflet, or leafless 3
2 Leaves trifoliolate. Shrub up to 1 m Crotalaria vialattei
2 Leaves with 5-7 leaflets, palmate, shrub only woody at the base Crotalaria saharae
3 Stems villous and pod pubescent Crotalaria thebaica
3 Stems glabrous or with inconspicuous hairs, very applied, pod glabrous Crotalaria aegyptiaca
Updated by: H. Sainz.