| Crotalaria juncea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Tribe: | Crotalarieae |
| Genus: | Crotalaria |
| Species: | C. juncea |
| Binomial name | |
| Crotalaria juncea L. |
|
Crotalaria juncea, known as Sunn or sunn hemp, is a tropical Asian plant of the legume family (Fabaceae).
Grown as a source of green manure, fodder and the lignified fiber obtained from its stem, it bears yellow flowers and elongate, alternate leaves.
Sunn Hemp is also being looked at as a possible bio-fuel.
Annual, c. 60-250 cm tall.
Many ascending branches, pubescent.
Leaf simple, c. 2.5-10.5 cm long, c. 6-20 mm broad, linear or oblong, obtuse or subacute, apiculate, pubescent on both sides, hairs appressed, silky.
Petiole c. 1.2-2.5 mm long; stipules almost absent.
Inflorescence an erect terminal and lateral raceme, up to 30 cm long, 12-20-flowered. Pedicel c. 3-7 mm long. Bract minute; bracteoles 2, below the calyx. Calyx c. 1.8-2.0 cm long, pubescent, teeth linear-lanceolate. Corolla bright yellow. Vexillum ovate-oblong, slightly exserted.
Fruit c. 2.5-3.2 cm long, sessile, pubescent, 10-15-seeded. Fl.Per. May-September.