Wildflowers Home > All Wildflowers > Fabaceae > Crotalaria > cunninghamii

Green Bird Flower or Rattlepod

Family: Fabaceae

Genus: Crotalaria

Species: cunninghamii

Main Flower Colour: Other

Description

The distinctive bird-like shape of the flowers (the flower stalk is the bird's beak) give this desert plant its common name. Flowers are a greenish-yellow colour with prominent stripes on the larger petals. Erect woody shrub with greyish furry leaves. Common on sand dunes.

Flowering start in July.

Identification

The main flower colour is other. Greenish bird-shaped flowers. Seed pods rattle in the wind, hence the common name.

Uses

Rope like nature (of plant stems) is alleged to have been made into sandals and or rope by indigenous people.(Latz)

References

http://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/3774

Created: 21 Feb 2014 - Member - John and Val
Updated: 09 Jun 2014 - Member - John and Val

WildflowerID	72
Views (per week)	54
Views	17826

Location

Bio Regions

Great Sandy Desert (GSD), Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields (SSD)

Region Specifics

Canning Stock Route, northern section

Related Blogs

The following are links to Members' Blogs that contain the words "Green Bird Flower or Rattlepod" OR "Crotalaria" OR "Fabaceae". Creating Blogs is restricted to Members only. Not a Member? Join here.