66 
wider initially and increasing in size over 
time, ovate to obovate or oblique, 3-12 mm 
long, 1.8-8 mm wide, the acute to acuminate 
apex becoming obliquely set to one side as 
the blade expands. Smaller stipule ovate or 
elliptic to somewhat falcate, acuminate, 1-3.5 
mm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide. Racemes leaf 
opposed, determinate, 3-9 cm long, villous, 
with up to 10 flowers spaced unevenly along 
the rhachis and spreading (in the same plane) 
at c. 90° from the prostrate rhachis. Bracts, 
bracteoles and pedicels villous; bracts sessile, 
ovate, acuminate, 2-4 mm long, 1-2.2 mm 
wide, persistent; bracteoles filiform, inserted 
variously on the pedicel mostly in the lower 
half, caducous; pedicels 3-8 mm long at 
anthesis, slightly increasing in length as fruit 
develops. Calyx 5-7.5 mm long, deeply divided 
into 5 subequal lobes, villous, persistent; tube 
campanulate 1.5-2.3 mm long, 5-veined; 
lobes more than twice the length of the tube, 
narrowly triangular, acuminate, 3.2-57 mm 
long, 1-2 mm wide at base, flat. Corolla 
longer than calyx, yellow, the outer surface 
stained reddish orange, sometimes darker 
at the tips; standard suborbicular, strongly 
reflexed at maturity, 11-12 mm long and wide, 
rounded with a small mucro at apex, with two 
horizontal folds near base, and a few hairs 
along the midrib on the outer surface; claw 1- 
2 mm long and c. 1.5 mm wide, ciliate; wings 
oblong, 9-10 mm long and c. 5 mm wide, more 
or less equalling the keel, rounded at apex; 
upper margin convex with a slight fold at the 
base; lower margin more or less straight; claw 
slightly twisted, 1-2 mm long; keel sharply 
upturned by c. 90° from the base, 10-11 mm 
long, 6-7 mm wide; lower margin open along 
the rounded base, ciliate along the edges; 
upper margin sinuate with a slight pocket 
towards base; beak 7-9.5 mm long, twisted by 
c. 180° at the apex; claw c. 2 mm long, ciliate. 
Stamens with long anthers 1.2-1.4 mm long, 
short anthers c. 0.3 mm long. Style sharply 
reflexed upwards, hairy on the upper side 
for c. 1/3 of the length below the stigma. The 
style elongating over time, and protruding 
from the base of the keel along with several of 
the stamens. Pods spreading (in same plane) 
at c. 90° to the rhachis, subsessile, inflated, 
oblong-clavate, 20-26 mm long, 8-12 mm 
wide, glabrous, light brown when mature, 
Austrobaileya 8(1): 65-68 (2009) 
indistinctly veined, tapered at the base and 
with a 1-2 mm mucro (persistent style base) 
at apex. Ovules 8-12, usually with 6 seeds 
developing. Seeds oblong-reniform, flattened, 
3-4.5 mm long and wide, yellowish-brown, 
smooth. Fig. 1. 
Additional specimens examined : Queensland. Burke 
District: 2.5 km by road, W of Croydon, Mar 2007, 
McDonald KRM6255 (BRI); Near Croydon Cemetery, 2 
km S of Croydon, Feb 2007, McDonald KRM6061 (BRI); 
Lake Belmore, near Croydon, Aug 2003, Fensham 4917 
(BRI); 32 km by road S of Croydon towards Claraville 
Station, Sep 2006, McDonald KRM5751 (BRI); 
Warrigal Creek, 16 km along Richmond road from 
Prospect Station road junction. Mar 2008, McDonald 
KRM7563 (BRI, CNS); c. 10 km S of Glenora Station, N 
of Gilberton, Site CRC45, Jun 1999, Fox IDF207 (BRI; 
CNS); Fog Creek Station, near Fog Creek, c. 15 km N of 
homestead, 180 km N of Richmond, Apr 2004, Kahler 
TH7973 (BRI); Taldora Homestead, 150 km N of Julia 
Creek, just E of Saxby Roundup grounds, Aug 2004, 
Laffey AZI1622 (BRI); 4 km N of Arizona House, Apr 
1997, Mil son JM1274 (BRI). 
Distribution and habitat: The species 
occurs in low open woodland of Eucalyptus , 
Corymbia, Lysiphyllum and Acacia julifera/ 
Acacia torulosa/Acacia leptostachya with 
grass or herb understorey on sand, often on 
alluvium in loose sand, in the vicinity of 
Croydon. It is found in areas disturbed by 
fire or flooding. It is common in the Croydon 
cemetery which is disturbed regularly by 
slashing (Map 1). 
Phenology: This species flowers sporadically 
from February to June, probably in response 
to monsoonal rain. 
Notes: This species is characterised by the 
unequal stipule pairs, the prostrate habit, and 
the large flowers and pods. It appears to be 
related to the shrubby Crotalaria smithiana 
which has similar leaves, flowers and pods. It 
has been confused with Crotalaria humifusa, 
another prostrate species which, however, has 
much smaller flowers and pods. There are no 
similar species occurring in the area. Many 
Australian species of Crotalaria are known to 
be toxic (Everist 1981); however, this species 
has not been investigated. 
