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Crotalaria juncea

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Crotalaria

Indian hemp, Madras hemp, sunn hemp

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Maui Potentially Naturalizing
Hawai'i Not in flora

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 714 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1997:56 (NEWNAT/O? [single spm., Kalākaua Ave., 1962, likely cult.], H, DESCR); Staples et al. 2003:11 (EM); Staples & Herbst 2005:299 (KEY), 331 (DESCR); Brock et al. 2023:124 (K); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:180 (M?, H? [both appear to be adventive], remove O [likely cult.])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Crotalaria juncea Hanalei Distr., Pilaa ahupuaa, makai of Kuhio Hwy (Hwy 56) just past mile marker 20 Raised soil berm alongside main highway. Preserved_Specimen Legume herb with stout stems up to 6 ft. tall, planted closely and used as a windbreak. Flowers bright yellow. Imada, C. 200171 Kauai BISH 2001-09-28
2 Crotalaria juncea Waimea District. North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Road and Kekaha town limits and weest of Kokee Road. Growing in ditches and throughout abandoned fields; common after periods of substantial rain. Naturalized along roadsides between Kekaha and Mana; apparently escaped from previous agricultural plantin. Growing with other common roadside weeds, including Ricinus communis, Leucaena leucocephala, Setaria verticillata, Verbesina encelioides, Ipomoea obscura. Preserved_Specimen Erect, hairy herb with woody base, >1 meter tall; leaves gray-green; petals bright yellow becoming brownish-orange before falling off; fruit nodding downwards. Brock, K. 996 Kauai BISH 2017-05-24
3 Crotalaria juncea Koloa District. National Tropical Botanical Garden, McBryde Garden n Lawai Valley. Biodiversity Trail, south end. Cultivated area. Preserved_Specimen Annual herb 1.5-2 m tall, stems canescent, branched only near top. Leaves medium green. Flowers lightly fragrant (5 pm), petals deep yellow, calyx green. Lorence, D.H. 10473 Kauai BISH 2014-11-24
4 Crotalaria juncea Kawaihau District. Kauai Agricultural Research Station, near Wailua Reservoir. Cultivated. Planted as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. Preserved_Specimen Herb approximately 60 cm. tall, leaves hairy, gray-green; new stems densely hairy and appearing silver; flowers bright yellow. Brock, K. 991 Kauai BISH 2017-05-18
5 Crotalaria juncea Honolulu, Kalakaua Ave Preserved_Specimen Flowers: standard yellow, laterals and keel yellow and brick-red Sasakawa, M. Oahu BISH 1962-09-09
6 Crotalaria juncea North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Rd and Kekaha town limits and west of Kokee Rd. Unspecified Kelsey Brock 996 Kauai HAPI 5/24/2017
7 Crotalaria juncea North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Rd and Kekaha town limits and west of Kokee Rd. Unspecified Kelsey Brock 996 Kauai HAPI 5/25/2017
8 Crotalaria juncea Mokulele Highway junction with upper Kihei Highway Weed in a seed corn field. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 3593 Maui BISH 1993-09-12
9 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH
10 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
11 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
12 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH
13 Crotalaria juncea Honolulu, H.S.P.A Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH 1918-06-01
14 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
15 Crotalaria juncea H.S.P.A., Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12809 Oahu BISH
16 Crotalaria juncea Hanalei Distr., Pilaa ahupuaa, makai of Kuhio Hwy (Hwy 56) just past mile marker 20 Raised soil berm alongside main highway. Preserved_Specimen Legume herb with stout stems up to 6 ft. tall, planted closely and used as a windbreak. Flowers bright yellow. Imada, C. 200171 Kauai BISH 2001-09-28
17 Crotalaria juncea Waimea District. North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Road and Kekaha town limits and weest of Kokee Road. Growing in ditches and throughout abandoned fields; common after periods of substantial rain. Naturalized along roadsides between Kekaha and Mana; apparently escaped from previous agricultural plantin. Growing with other common roadside weeds, including Ricinus communis, Leucaena leucocephala, Setaria verticillata, Verbesina encelioides, Ipomoea obscura. Preserved_Specimen Erect, hairy herb with woody base, >1 meter tall; leaves gray-green; petals bright yellow becoming brownish-orange before falling off; fruit nodding downwards. Brock, K. 996 Kauai BISH 2017-05-24
18 Crotalaria juncea Koloa District. National Tropical Botanical Garden, McBryde Garden n Lawai Valley. Biodiversity Trail, south end. Cultivated area. Preserved_Specimen Annual herb 1.5-2 m tall, stems canescent, branched only near top. Leaves medium green. Flowers lightly fragrant (5 pm), petals deep yellow, calyx green. Lorence, D.H. 10473 Kauai BISH 2014-11-24
19 Crotalaria juncea Kawaihau District. Kauai Agricultural Research Station, near Wailua Reservoir. Cultivated. Planted as a nitrogen-fixing cover crop. Preserved_Specimen Herb approximately 60 cm. tall, leaves hairy, gray-green; new stems densely hairy and appearing silver; flowers bright yellow. Brock, K. 991 Kauai BISH 2017-05-18
20 Crotalaria juncea Honolulu, Kalakaua Ave Preserved_Specimen Flowers: standard yellow, laterals and keel yellow and brick-red Sasakawa, M. Oahu BISH 1962-09-09
21 Crotalaria juncea North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Rd and Kekaha town limits and west of Kokee Rd. Unspecified Kelsey Brock 996 Kauai HAPI 5/24/2017
22 Crotalaria juncea North of Kekaha, along an agricultural access road between Old Mana Rd and Kekaha town limits and west of Kokee Rd. Unspecified Kelsey Brock 996 Kauai HAPI 5/25/2017
23 Crotalaria juncea Mokulele Highway junction with upper Kihei Highway Weed in a seed corn field. Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 3593 Maui BISH 1993-09-12
24 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH
25 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
26 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
27 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH
28 Crotalaria juncea Honolulu, H.S.P.A Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH 1918-06-01
29 Crotalaria juncea Oahu Preserved_Specimen Oahu BISH
30 Crotalaria juncea H.S.P.A., Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 12809 Oahu BISH
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