Singapore Shower, Golden senna
Senna surattensis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 2-7 m tall. It spreads to 4 m across. The branches can have hairs or be smooth. The leaflets are in 4-7 pairs. They are 3-10 cm long by 1.5-5 cm wide. The leaf axis has glands between the lower 2-4 pairs of leaflets. The flower cluster is 5-13 cm long with 10-20 flowers. The petals are yellow and 2-3 cm long. The fruit are flat and thin. They are 15-20 cm long and 1.2-1.8 cm wide. They can be straight or curved. The pods are divided by partitions. The seeds are blackish and 9-10 mm long by 3.5-4 mm wide. They are shiny. The seed scar is one sided and nearly at the end of the seed.

It is not known if they are used for food in Papua New Guinea. There are 100 Cassia species. This group has been revised to a smaller more consistent group. Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In Papua New Guinea it occurs between 15 and 50 m altitude. It can be up to 300 m above sea level. It requires rich, moist, well drained soil. It does best in a sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, China, Hawaii, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Marquesas, Nigeria, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam, West Africa

How it is used for food

The tender young leaves are cooked and eaten with rice.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. The seed need to have the hard seed coat broken before planting. It can also be grown by air-layering.

Its other names

Local names

Gelenggang, Glaucous cassia, Kii lec waan, Kolomona, Muong bien, Pohon kasia emas, Ranuwia, Scrambled egg bush, Song-baa-daan

Synonyms

Cassia glauca Lam.; Cassia retusa auctt.; Cassia surattensis (Burm. f.) Irwin & Barneby;