Crotalaria avonensis NatureServe Explorer Species Reports — NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
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This is a perennial herb with one to three hairy stems growing from a taproot. Most of the stem is located underground, with up to 10 centimeters growing above the surface. The stems are lined with fleshy oval leaves which are coated in white or yellowish hairs. The inflorescence is a raceme of yellow pealike flowers around a centimeter long. The fruit is an inflated legume pod in shades of dark red or brown which can be up to 2.5 centimeters in length and contains 18 seeds. After the plant flowers in spring it becomes dormant for the rest of the year.
It was first collected in 1950 but not recognized as an undescribed species until 1989, when it was named. It grows in the white sand scrub of Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge. It can tolerate some disturbance and partially shady conditions. It grows alongside other rare scrub plants such as Small’s jointweed (Polygonum dentoceras), Florida lady’s nightcap (Bonamia grandiflora), scrub blazing star (Liatris ohlingerae), and Highlands Scrub St. John’s wort (Hypericum cumulicola)
