Crotalaria comes under fabaceae family and consists of more than 700 species. The pea shaped flowers are mostly yellow in color and attractive, the fruit is in form of a turgid pod. This genus is also referred to as “rattle pod” as their kidney shaped seeds rattle inside their pods. This particular plant grows to around 8 feet in height and is often seen in hill station towns situated in Western ghats. The leafs are elliptic oblong, alternate, slightly hairy below. The stipules are semi lunate (half moon) in shape. The inflorescence is a raceme and has flowers that are about 2.5 cm in length. The beaked pods are smooth in texture, looks inflated and contain kidney shaped seeds
