Yellow cassia
Senna spectabilis

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A shrub or small tree. It grows 7 m high. The leaves have 6-15 pairs of leaflets. These are 3-7 cm long by 1-2 m wide. They are oval with pointed tip. They have fine hairs underneath. The flowers are yellow. They are in large unbranched clusters at the ends of twigs. The fruit are pods 18-25 cn long by 1 cm wide. They are black and glossy.

Also as Caesalpinaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed forests up to 2,000 m above sea level. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level. In XTBG Yunnan (As Cassia)

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gabon, Gambia, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Leeward Is., Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pacific, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Singapore, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, Venezuela, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit pulp

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Boiling water is poured over the seeds and then they are allowed to soak to 24 hours. Plants can be grown from cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Pohon kasia amerika, Keshya wa maluwa

Synonyms

Cassia spectabilis DC.; Pseudocassia spectabilis (DC.) Britton & Rose;