Crotalaria brevidens Benth., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Crotalaria intermedia Kotschy

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Ethiopian rattlebox, slender-leaf crotalaria

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Annual herbs; stems erect, up to 15 dm long, striate, appressed short-pubescent.  Leaves trifoliolate, leaflets narrowly elliptic or narrowly lanceolate, 2.2-8 cm long, 0.2-0.8 cm wide, veins 7-10 on each side of midvein, upper surface glabrous or sparsely pubescent, lower surface appressed short-pubescent, apex rounded or acute, occasionally mucronulate, base cuneate or rounded, petioles 13-30 mm long, stipules absent.  Flowers 11-18.5 mm long, 12-20 in terminal, somewhat lax inflorescences, rachis 10-30 cm long (incl. peduncle), bracts linear-triangular, 2-3 mm long, spreading, usually persistent, bracteoles at base of calyx, linear-triangular; calyx glabrous or nearly so, the tube 3.9-4 mm long, the lobes 1.3-2 mm long, lateral lobes distinct at apex; petals yellow with lines near base, standard ca. 12 mm long, ca. 10 mm wide, wings oblong, ca. 14 mm long, ca. 5 mm wide, keel petals striate, with non-twisted beak prolonged, margins ciliate; elongated anthers ca. 5 mm long, short ones ca. 1 mm long.  Pods brown at maturity, (2.2-) 4-5 cm long, stipitate, the stipe less than 3 mm long, appressed short-pubescent.  Seeds ca. 75 or more per pod, yellowish orange, 2.2-3 mm long, smooth"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 658).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i (Maui), "locally common along roadsides and in waste areas adjacent to pineapple fields"  (Oppenheimer, 2003; p. 12).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 658).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 658) East Maui. Voucher cited: Hobdy 2012 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 12) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H60102 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer H700131 (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Louisiana. Var. intermedia (Kotschy) Polhill

Control:  If you know of control methods for Crotalaria brevidens, please let us know.