The Wedge-Leaved Rattlepod
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Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Volume 1 Number 5 September-October, 1952 Article 14 9-1952 The wedge-leaved rattlepod C A. Gardner Department of Agriculture Follow this and additional works at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3 Part of the Botany Commons Recommended Citation Gardner, C A. (1952) "The wedge-leaved rattlepod," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 1 : No. 5 , Article 14. Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol1/iss5/14 This article is brought to you for free and open access by Research Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 by an authorized administrator of Research Library. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A.GARDNER iMi. EXPLANATION OF PLATE Crotalaria retusa L. A—Habit showing flowers and pods. B—A broad leaf from flower part of plant. C—Flowers. D—Calyx. E—Pods. F—Seed. (C and D natural size; all others half natural size.) Gogo, Fitzroy River. April, 1951. Icon, origin. Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 THE WEDGE-LEAVED RATTLEPOD (Crotalaria retusa L.) A Poison Plant of Tropical Australia By C. A. GARDNER, Government Botanist URING the last two years, work has been in progress near Fitzroy Crossing D (West Kimberley) upon an investigation to determine the cause of Kimber- Iey Horse Disease, commonly known as "Walkabout Disease." The investigations are still in progress, and the findings when completed, will be published elsewhere, but the discovery that Crotalaria retusa L. is a cause—and probably the major cause —of this disease is of considerable importance. Because of this it is considered advisable to assist pastoralists to recognise the plant and by providing information on its habit, occurrence and distribution, to enable them to take steps to minimise losses during the coming season. Crotalaria retusa was examined by and C. Grantiana Harv., these three be Greshoff in the Botanic Gardens at ing native to South Africa. Buitenzorg in 1890, and found to contain The alkaloids involved are monocro a toxic alkaloid. This was later con taline, dicrotaline and grantianine, all firmed in the United States of America of which probably have retronecine as a in 1939, when the alkaloid was found to basic unit. Retronecine, which is known be monocrotaline. to be present in C. retusa and C. spec Earlier than this, in 1884, an allied tabilis and also in several species of species (Crotalaria sagittalis L.) was re Senecio ("Ragwort"), is known to cause ported as the cause of "Missouri River damage to the liver cells and is usually Bottom Disease" which resulted in death slow in action. among horses. The presence of Crotalaria retusa in Since then, other species have been considerable abundance in certain areas shown to be toxic, notably C. spectabilis in Kimberley appears to be of great Roth, from the United States of America, economic importance in view of the where it causes heavy losses among heavy losses in horses which have been horses and cattle, as well as being toxic sustained on the holdings in which the to pigs and fowls. Here again the plant is most common, and it is hoped alkaloid is monocrotaline, as in C that the accompanying plates will be of retusa. The Sunn Hemp (C juncea L.) value in assisting in the identification is toxic to sheep in South Africa, and of this plant. this species is not uncommon along some of the watercourses in Kimberley. GENERAL NOTES Other toxic species are Crotalaria Crotalaria retusa is an annual plant. dura Wood and Evans (toxic to horses); It germinates with the early summer C. Burkeana Benth. (toxic to cattle), rains of December or January, and 641 Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 LA 77? PROMPT DELIVERY HEAVY DUTY VALVE IN HEAD ENGINE REMOVABLE CYLINDER SLEEVES ADJUSTABLE ROD AND MAIN BEARINGS OIL CUSHIONED CLUTCH CONVENIENT CONTROLS FORCE PRESSURE LUBRICATION 4 POINT POWER INCLUDES HYDRAULICS 4 SPEEDS FORWARD Parts easily and readily available throughout country areas ^M°I£ MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED 199 ST. GEORGE'S TERRACE. PERTH. PHONE BA4161 Please ir^ntion the "Journal off Agriculture, W.A.," when writing to advertisers Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 owing to the hard ness of its seeds, re quires considerable moisture for success ful germination. Be cause of this, the SM* first seedlings will usually be found in depressions, wheel- tracks and other spots where water lies for some time after showers. The plant is therefore likely to be most common during those seasons which open with good rains, and in which a good sea son is experienced. In dry seasons the germination even if good, may not be followed by active growth, since, under dry conditions the plants wilt and die. Such was the case along the Fitzroy River in early 1952, when feeding trials had to be curtailed owing to the in adequacy of supplies. With suitable opening rains, followed by fairly frequent falls, the seeds germ inate and the plants grow freely, and Crotalarla retusa L. when young are eaten avidly by horses Plant about 20in. tall In flower and with ripe pods. during this season of rapid growth. Specimen from tributary watercourses of Fitzroy Later, when the plants are mature, River at Gogo Station, April 16, 1951. especially when in flower and pod, they are avoided by horses and stock gen brown on the back. There are usually erally. 12 to 20 flowers in the "spike". The The plant attains an average height plant flowers in April as a rule, and the of two or three feet, but plants of four flowers are succeeded by pods which are feet are not uncommon. The stems are characteristic. dark green and more or less ribbed longi In Crotalaria retusa the pods are one tudinally, and the leaves are a deep to one and a half inches long, and in green in colour on their upper surfaces, flated, on short stalks, stalked at the but paler underneath, with short silky base, and standing upwards and out hairs lying against the leaf-surface. wards from the stem in a manner which The pea-shaped flowers are rather is I think peculiar to this species in large, and a strong clear yellow in Kimberley. The pod is blunt at the colour, or with reddish streaks on the end, with a short hook formed from standard,, and sometimes chocolate- the remains of the style. The seeds, 643 Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 INTERNATIONAL power for plenty Australian-male McCormick International Model AW-6. TJOWER for plenty — power farming equip- McCormick International equipment includes •*• ment for more food. It brings power for a full line of matched machines for- every greater food production, power for wiser land tractor farming operation in every form of utilization and power for use throughout the agriculture. seasons — from seed time to harvest time — and Go along to the International Harvester dealer harvest time back to seed time. in your district and discuss your problems For over 80 years Australia's farmers have with him. He will gladly advise you as to the relied on the wide variety of products that equipment you need. International Harvester builds. Products with INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY built-in efficiency and dependability plus low- OF AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. cost operation. (INCORPORATED IN VICTORIA) In addition to Farmall, Standard and Crawler District Sales Offices in all Capital Cities. Tractors, both kerosene and diesel operated, Works: Geelong and Dandenong, Victoria. see your International Harvester dealer McCormick International Australian-made McCormick International Model T-6 Farmall Super-A. International Farmall AM. Crawler tractor. McCormick International INTERNATIONAL Tractor* and Farm Equipment International Trucks Defender Refrigerators ARVESTER International Industrial Power Builder of Essential Equipment tor Essential Work GL366-24 Please mention the "Journal of Agriculture, W.A.," when writing to advertisers Journal of agriculture Vol. 1 1952 several in number are yellowish, kidney- lower reaches of the Ord River, losses shaped, and cause the pod to rattle when have been very heavy, for example, at pod and seeds are quite ripe, hence the Gogo, Carlton Hill, and Lissadell. Here name "rattlepod", from the Greek Crotalaria retusa occurs abundantly, and krotalon—a rattle or castanet. such spots are characteristic for the The plant is not evenly distributed. occurrence of the plant and the disease. In the course of the botanical surveys In no single instance where the disease made, it was soon discovered that Kim- has occurred have I found a horse pad berley Horse Disease was peculiar to dock free of Crotalaria retusa unless it areas in which the horse or spell pad was shown that the horse or horses docks were adjacent to streams or had affected had been in country where the streams passing through them—in other plant was in active growth while the words where stock had access to water animal was there. courses, usually of considerable size. The plant is not necessarily abundant The Crotalaria was most abundant on all along the same stream, for example, . the larger streams with low banks which while common on the Gogo side of the were overflowed by early summer rains, Margaret River, it is seldom found on such as the Fitzroy River near Fitzroy the northern bank at Fossil Downs. The Crossing, the Lennard River, portions of only difference between the two appears the Ord River and the Adcock and Hann to be in the geology of the soils. Rivers. Horse paddocks not so situated, Other examples of affected areas are such as those at Moola Bulla, Louisa those of the Hann, Adcock and Barker Downs and Blina were free from Kim- Rivers, Fletcher's Creek near Mount berley Horse Disease.