Crotalaria sagittalis

arrowhead rattlebox, rattlebox
Poisonous
Family

Fabaceae

Leaf Arrangement

alternate

Leaf Attachment

petiolate, sessile

Leaf Margin

entire

Leaf Type

simple

Leaf Shape

linear, elliptic, lanceolate

Growth Form

forb, shrub

Flower Color

yellow

Flower Month

April - November

Height (meters)

0.1 - 0.5

Milky Sap

No

Armed/Unarmed

Unarmed

Origin

native

Lifespan

annual, perennial


Cultural Information

Germination of an unspecified species of Crotalaria was greatly improved by scarification for 15 minutes with concentrated sulfuric acid (Harcombe 1961). Seeds average approximately 108,000/lb.

Animal Use

All parts are poisonous to livestock.

Natural History

A warm-season forb that reproduces by seed. The seeds become loose in the pods, giving this species its common name "rattlebox." It grows generally in sandy or gravelly soils of disturbed areas, woods, old fields and along streams in the eastern United States. All parts of this plant are poisonous to livestock but the seeds contain the most poison. The toxic element is an alkaloid called "monocrotaline." Symptoms are depression, loss of appetite, loss of flesh, and sleepy appearance. The progress of poisoning is slow and death may occur several weeks or months after toxic quantities are eaten. In some cases a cardiac or heart stimulant is helpful. The most dangerous period is fall. Crotalatias are self-fertile.

Habitat

Dry open soil, waste land, rocky prairies, open wooded slopes, sandy open areas, dunes, fields and woodland borders.