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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Crotalaria crispata Benth.
Kimberley Horse Poison

Reference
Fl.Austral. 2:179 (1864)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Annual or perennial, herb, to 0.5 m high. Fl. yellow, Feb to Oct. Loamy or sandy soils. Near rivers & swamps.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 25 May 2003

Scientific Description

Genus Crotalaria. Form erect. Habit herb. Stems Indumentum hairy, Pustules or glands absent, Striation (stems ribbed) not striate, Cross section terete, Spiny on any part of plant not spiny. Leaves or phylloclades Presence clearly present, Position alternate, Leaves simple, Leaves or phylloclade continuous with stem continuous with stem, Cross section of leaf or leaflet flat with flat margins, Margins of leaf or leaflet entire, Tuberculate tubercles absent, Pustules or glands absent. Length Leaf length 10-30. Width (entire leaves only) Leaf width 3.5-7. Scale leaves length mm long NaN (?). Indumentum Presence hairy, Type simple. Stipules Presence present and persistent to older leaves, Glands with glands (?) or without glands (?), Ribs ribbed (?) or ribless (?). Length Stipule length NaN (?). Bracteoles Presence present and persistent, Indumentum hairy, Striation not striate. Length Bracteole length 4.3-5. Pedicel Presence present, Indumentum hairy. Length Pedicel length 2-3.5. Calyx Pustules or glands absent, Ribs ribless, Enlarged in fruit not accrescent. Length Calyx length 7-8.5. Indumentum Presence hairy, Type with simple hairs. Corolla Colour patterning uniformly coloured, Colour (when uniformly coloured) yellow, Petal claws ( the narrow base of the petals present. Length Corolla length 10-11. Indumentum Presence absent. Standard Indumentum glabrous, Auricles not auriculate. Length Standard length 9-9.5. Wings Auricles not auriculate. Length Wing length 6-6.8. Keel Auricles not auriculate, Indumentum glabrous, Beak beaked. Length Keel length 8-9.5. Stamens Number ten. Anthers anther length 1.7, Position all at the same level (filaments all the same loength) (?) or at two different levels (filaments alternately long and short) (?). Filaments Fusion united in an open sheath. Length Filament length NaN (?). Ovary Placement sessile or subsessile. Indumentum Presence hairy or glandular. Style Indumentum hairy or glandular towards the base, Bearded ( with a tuft of hairs at apex ) not bearded, Apex terete. Length Style length 8-9. Fruit Type dehiscent (a pod or follicle), Constriction not constricted between the seeds, Compression round in cross-section, Placement stipitate, Beak not beaked. Length Fruit length NaN (?). Width Fruit width NaN (?). Indumentum Presence hairy, Indumentum type with simple hairs. Flowering time February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September or October. Distribution Botanical Province Northern or Eremaean, IBRA Bioregion Great Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Victoria Bonaparte, Central Kimberley, Ord-Victorian-Plain or Dampierland.

C. Hollister and K.R. Thiele, 17 April 2024

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Central Kimberley, Dampierland, Great Sandy Desert, Northern Kimberley, Ord Victoria Plain, Tanami, Victoria Bonaparte.
IBRA Subregions
Berkeley, Keep, McLarty, Mitchell, Pentecost, Pindanland, Purnululu, South Kimberley Interzone.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Broome, Derby-West Kimberley, East Pilbara, Halls Creek, Wyndham-East Kimberley.