Sprawling Rattlepod is a annual or short-lived
perennial herb, prostrate, up to 20 cm, most parts adpressed hairy.
Stems are terete, densely velvety. Stipules are linear, to 4 × 1.8 mm,
somewhat persistent. Leaves are simple, stalks shorter than stipules,
up to 2 mm. Leaves are broadly elliptic-ovate, often slightly oblique,
1.2-3.6 x 1-2.4 cm, both surfaces silky hairy but more densely so
below, abaxially grayish green, base broadly wedge-shaped to rounded,
tip rounded and not mucronate. Flowers are borne in racemes which are
leaf-opposed or at branch ends, on short flowering branches, ascending,
very lax, 2-8-flowered. Bracts are linear, about 1.5 mm. Flower-stalks
are up to 4 mm, bracteoles inserted at base of calyx, similar to
bracts. Calyx is 2-lipped, 4-6 mm, deeply divided; lower 3 lobes
linear-lanceolate, curved, 2-3.5 mm; upper lobes fused, slightly wider,
tip flat. Flowers yellow, standard oblong-circular, 5.5-6.5 mm, midline
abaxially with trichomes; keel slightly longer than standard, sharply
angled near base, apex extended into a straight slightly twisted beak.
Pods are cylindric-ovoid, 6-8 mm, about 12-seeded, hairless. Seeds are
very pale brown, D-shaped, about 1.3 mm, glossy. Sprawling Rattlepod is
found in the Himalayas, from Kumaun to Sikkim, Malaysia, at altitudes
of 1800-1900 m.
Identification credit: Krishan Lal
Photographed in Sirmaur Distt, Himachal Pradesh.
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The flower labeled Sprawling Rattlepod is ...