Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Crotalaria retusa L.

maraquita, cascabel fétido, rattlebox, devil bean, wedge leaf rattlepod

Photo: .
Photo: .

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Fabales

Family
Fabaceae

Genus
Crotalaria

Species
retusa

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Crotalaria retusifolia Stokes

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 1977

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduction Pathway: Intentional

Subpathway: Agriculture/Horticulture

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: Potentially Invasive

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

References

  • Adsersen, H. (s.a.) Field notes, 1974 and 1977 collections Charles darwin Research Station, unpublished Manuscript.
  • Bernal, H.Y. (1986) Crotalaria (Fabaceae—Faboideae). Fl. Colombia 4: 1–118.
  • D'Arcy, W.G. (1987) Flora of Panama. Checklist and Index. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 17(1): i–xxx, 1–328; 18(2): i–ix, 1–672.
  • Dwyer, J. D. (1981) Leguminosae, Subfamily Papilionoideae. Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 67(3): 523–818.
  • Funk, V.T. Hollowell, T., Berry, P., Kelloff, C. & Alexander, S.N. (2007) Checklist of the Plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 55: 1-584.
  • Guézou, A. Trueman, M., Buddenhagen, E., Chamorro, S., Guerrero, A.M., Pozo, P., Atkinson, R. (2010) An extensive Alien Plan Inventory from the Inhabited Areas of Galapagos Plos One/ www.plosone.org. Volume 5/ Issue 4/e10276
  • Hokche, O. Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (2008) Nuev. Cat. Fl. Vas. Venezuela 1–860.
  • Lawesson, J.E. (1987) Plantas exóticas en las Islas Galápagos, un resumen. Memorias. Taller sobre investigación Botánica y manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 17-23.
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Crotalaria retusa", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=512. Accessed 3 November 2026.