Crotalaria spinosa Hochst. ex Benth.

Images: None on this site.

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency: Rare.
Status: Native
Description:
Bushy, much-branched very small shrub, to 50 cm. Branches spine-tipped. Leaves 3-foliolate, clustered on short shoots. Leaflets 4-15 × 1-4 mm, oblanceolate; apex truncate or emarginate. Pod small, 7.5-9 × 3.5-5 mm, oblong-obovoid.
Type location:
Ethiopia
Notes: There are only 3 specimens from Zimbabwe in SRGH; one from Nyanga in 1964 and two from near Chinhoyi in 1969, all three collected by H. Corby. Record no. 128188 is the first record from the Central Division.
Derivation of specific name: spinosa: spiny
Habitat: Grassy and disturbed places.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Tropical Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
FZ divisions: N,C,E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 218.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 47.

Martins, E.S. et al. (2003). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(7) Pages 186 - 187.

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 119.


Other sources of information about Crotalaria spinosa:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Crotalaria spinosa
Flora of Zambia: Crotalaria spinosa

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Crotalaria spinosa
African Plant Database: Crotalaria spinosa
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Crotalaria spinosa
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Crotalaria spinosa
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Crotalaria spinosa
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Crotalaria spinosa
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Crotalaria spinosa
JSTOR Plant Science: Crotalaria spinosa
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Crotalaria spinosa
Plants of the World Online: Crotalaria spinosa
Tropicos: Crotalaria spinosa
Wikipedia: Crotalaria spinosa


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-25

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Crotalaria spinosa.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=128270, retrieved 5 December 2025

Site software last modified: 24 June 2025 6:53pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use