Senna odorata, which is also known as fragrant senna, spreading cassia, sweet-scented cassia or southern cassia, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family that is native to Australia.
| Senna odorata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Spring blooms | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Caesalpinioideae |
| Genus: | Senna |
| Species: | S. odorata
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| Binomial name | |
| Senna odorata (R.Morris) Randall
| |
| Synonyms | |
Description
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S. odorata can usually reach a height of 1.5–2.4 m (4 ft 11 in – 7 ft 10 in), but this upright and sprawling perennial shrub may become a tree.[3] It has paripinnate alternate leaves, with six to 12 pairs of leathery textured, slender, oval leaflets.
Flowers are bright yellow and cup-shaped, arranged in small clusters or in panicles. They are lightly fragrant (hence the specific epithet odorata, meaning odorous). The flowering period extends from late winter to spring. The fruits are flat legume pods with many small seeds.[4][5][6]
Distribution
editThis species is native to the forest edges of Australia (southern Queensland, south to New South Wales), usually in dry sclerophyll forest. It has been introduced in India and Mauritius.[4][7]
In its habitat, the plant can tolerate drought, light frost and high wind.[8]
Gallery
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Leaflets of S. odorata -
Flower of Senna odorata at the Orto Botanico dell'Università di Genova -
Blooming in early spring, in Australia -
Shrub in full view -
The crown of the bush -
Leaves and flowers -
Budding flowers -
References
edit- ^ The Plant List
- ^ Senna barronfieldii (Colla) Hewson PlantNET - Flora Online
- ^ Gardening Archived 2014-04-19 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Michigan State University
- ^ Hortipedia
- ^ Learn2grow
- ^ Catalogue of Life
- ^ Senna odorata SOUTHERN CASSIA by plantthis