Rattlebox

Pictures are from a hike in the Western Ghats (Sahyadris) around 2007.

Botanical nameCrotalaria pallida
English namessalts rattlebox, smooth crotalaria, streaked rattlepod, striped crotalaria
Nederlandse naam
Indian namesHindi: sanMarathi: Jungli taag

Characteristics

Native habitatProbably originally from tropical Africa, widely naturalised in the tropics: Indonesia, Sudan, United States (Florida, Puerto Rico), Brazil, India, and Bangladesh
Plant Typemedium shrub
Bloom timeFall color
FruitIn a pod like peas (legume)
UsesGrown as a ground cover and a green manure crop, especially in the inter-rows of rubber trees and coconut palms. Flowers are eaten as a vegetable in Cambodia, where the seeds are roasted and grounded for use as a sort of coffee beverage.

Categories

03-Mar04-Apr05-Maybushgreenindiaperennialpoisonoussouth indiaspringwest indiawestern ghats

Sources