Rattlpods, Crotalaria spp., are a group of Leguminous Plants found throughout the tropics, though the majority are found in Africa (about 400 of about 700 known species). Their common name derives from the seed pods of the Plant, within which the seeds become loose as the pot matures and dries, so that the pod can be shaken to produce a rattling noise. Most Rattlepods are found growing wet grasslands, floodplains, and on swamp and river margins, though some species are found in drier environments. Several species of Rattlepod are cultivated, either as ornamentals or food crops. To date, 102 species of Rattlepod have been described from India, 10 of them from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In a paper published in the journal Taiwania on 5 March 2023, Fouziya Saleem of the Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of the Botanical Survey of India, and Mansarovar Global University, Lal Ji Singh, also of the Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of the Botanical Survey of India, and Arun Pandey, also of Mansarovar Global University, describe a new species of Rattlepod from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The new species is described on the basis of a specimen found growing at Tugapur on Middle Andaman Island by Fouziya Saleem in December 2021. It is given the name Crotalaria andamanica, where 'andamanica' refers to the area where it was found.
Crotalaria andamanica is a prostrate herbaceous plant, reaching about 1.5 m in height, with frequently branching stems with terminal racemes of yellow flowers. Leaves are approximately oval in shape and up to 2 cm long. Seed pods are 6-8 mm in length, and contain 15-16 seeds. The entire plant is covered in hairs.
Crotalaria andamanica was found growing at three different locations on Middle and South Andaman Islands, growing on gravelly soils in open wastelands, which were also home to Creeping Tick Trefoil, Desmodium triflorum, Morning Glory, Ipomoea spp., Sensitive Plant, Mimosa pudica, Nutsedges, Cyperus spp., and Jack-in-the-bush Plants, Chromolaena odorata.
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