2 CIRCULAR 137, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
It is estimated that in 1929, 8,000 acres were planted. In Porto 
Rico C@. striata is used extensively in citrus groves for cover and 
soil improvement, while in South Africa, Australia, the Philippines, 
and the Territory of Hawaii other species are recognized as having 
value as green manure and cover crops. 
FIGURE 1.—Crotalaria striata plant in full bloom, showing general habit of growth 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION 
The Crotalaria species are mostly annuals, but many are peren- 
nials. 
While the plants are mostly upright, some are semierect, others 
quite prostrate. There is great variation in plant height, from less 
than 1 foot to 15 feet, depending on the species. They are usually 
monofoliolate or trifoliolate, occasionally having more than three leaf- 
