Senna alata (L.) Roxb.

Family :Fabaceae

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Equisetopsida > Fabales > Fabaceae > Senna > S. alata

Common name [English]: Winged Senna, Ringworm Cassia, Candle Bush,

Vernacular name [Malayalam]: അഗത്തി, പുഴുക്കടിക്കൊന്ന, ആനത്തകര

Nativity: SW. Mexico to Tropical America

Habitat: roadside, long riversides and margins of ponds, plain areas.

Description: Erect shrubs to 4 m tall. Leaves 28-60 cm long; leaflets 6-12 pairs, 4-13 x 2-6 cm, oblong to obovate-oblong, base rounded to subcordate, apex rounded; stipules 1-2 cm long, deltoid, base auriculate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, many-flowered spicate raceme, 40-60 cm long. Flowers yellow; pedicels 4-8 mm long; bracts petaloid, yellow, 1-2 cm long, ovate-elliptic, subacute. Sepals 1-1.5 cm long, yellow. Petals yellow, 1.5-2 cm long, obovate. Stamens 10, anthers 2 large, 5 medium-sized, and 3 small. Pods 9-14 x 1.5-2 cm, linear, 4-winged, septate, dehiscent. Seeds many, 5-7 x 4-5 mm, rhomboid, compressed, dark brown.

Flowering and Fruiting : September-January

Uses :Used for the treatment of ringworm and skin diseases, used to treat a wide range of ailment from stomach problems, fever, asthma and snake bite

Cultivation: Wild

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org