Senna Mill.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Senna' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/senna/). Accessed 2025-05-12.

Family

Fabaceae

Synonyms

Species in genus

Glossary

family: A group of genera more closely related to each other than to genera in other families. Names of families are identified by the suffix ‘-aceae’ (e.g. Myrtaceae) with a few traditional exceptions (e.g. Leguminosae).
imparipinnate: Odd-pinnate; (of a compound leaf) with a central rachis and an uneven number of leaflets due to the presence of a terminal leaflet. (Cf. paripinnate.)

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Senna' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/senna/). Accessed 2025-05-12.

Editorial Note

Species in Senna were treated by Bean under the name Cassia, the two names now referring to segregate genera. Species from Cassia as currently circumscribed are not cultivated out of doors in our area.

The text below is adapted from Bean to reflect revisions to taxonomy. A fuller, revised treatment will be provided when funding is available. If you would like to sponsor the account of this genus please write to editor@treesandshrubsonline.org

Senna belongs to the sub-family Caesalpinioideae, in which the petals are equal, or almost so, in size and shape. Stamens usually ten, but three or five of these may be absent, or reduced to staminodes. Leaves pinnate, with an even number of leaflets. The fruits of certain Near Eastern species are the senna pods of druggists.

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