Crotalaria spectabilis
Crotalaria spectabilis
Safety & Hazards
The plant is toxic to livestock[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. The seed and other above-ground parts contain the pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline, which lowers blood pressure but is toxic to farm animals and probably also to root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have a cumulative effect upon the body and, unless concentrations in a plant are high, occasional use is generally completely safe. They are derived from amino acids including ornithine. Many pyrrolizidine alkaloids have pronounced hepatic toxicity, but the lungs and other organs may be affected as well. Mutagenic and carcinogenic activities of pyrrolizidine alkaloids have also been reported[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Because of its bitterness the green material is avoided by livestock[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]
Botanical Description
Crotalaria spectabilis is an erect, much-branched annual to perennial plant with stems that can become more or less woody and persist; it can grow 60 - 150cm tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 272 Title Plants and People of Nepal Publication Author Manandhar. N. P. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 2002 ISBN 0-88192-527-6 Description Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses. , 1341 Title A revision of the Genus Crotalaria Linn. (Papilionaceae) in Thailand Publication Thai For Bull 11;105-181; 1978 Author Chawalit Niyomdham Publisher Year 1978 ISBN Description , 1343 Title Crotalaria L. (Fabaceae: Faboideae) in continental Southeast Asia Publication Phytotaxa 320 (1): 001-074 Author Ninkaew S.; Balslev H.; Pornpongrungrueng P.; Chantaranothai Publisher Year 2017 ISBN 978-1-77670-218-3 Description ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often grown as a soil improver and stabilizer, having the added benefit of being able to reduce soil nematode populations. It is also often grown as an ornamental, valued especialy for its long flowering season[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ].