- Senna alexandrina
__NOTOC__:"Cassia lanceolata" redirects here. This
taxon may also refer to other plants; see below."Taxobox
name = Alexandrian Senna
status = NE
status_system = iucn3.1
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Magnoliophyta
classis =Magnoliopsida
subclassis =Rosidae
unranked_ordo =Eurosids I
ordo =Fabales
familia =Fabaceae
subfamilia =Caesalpinioideae
tribus =Cassieae
subtribus =Cassiinae
genus = "Senna"
species = "S. alexandrina"
binomial = "Senna alexandrina"
binomial_authority = Mill.
synonyms =Many, see text"Senna alexandrina" (Alexandrian Senna, and see below) is an
ornamental plant in the genus "Senna". It is also used inherbalism . It grows natively in upperEgypt , especially in theNubia n region, and nearKhartoum (Sudan ), where it is cultivated commercially. It is also grown elsewhere, notably inIndia andSomalia .Alexandrian Senna is a
shrub by plant that reaches 0.5-1, rarely two meters in height with branched pale green erect stem, long spreadingbranch es, bearing four or five pairs ofleaves . These are complex feathery mutual pairs. The leaflets are varying from 4 to 6 pairs, fully edged, with a sharp top. Themidrib s are equally divided at the base of the leaflets. The flowers are in araceme interiorVerify source|date=December 2007 blossoms, big in size, coloured yellow that tends to brown. Itslegume fruit are horned, broadly oblong, compressed and flat and contain about sixseed s.When cultured, twice a year the plants are cut down, dried in the sun, stripped and packed in palm-leaf bags and sent on
camel s toEssouan andDarao , then up theNile toCairo or else toRed Sea ports. For thenomad icAbabda for example, trade in senna provides a significant source of income.Names and taxonomy
"S. alexandrina" is also known under the names Egyptian Senna, Tinnevelly Senna, East Indian Senna or the French "sene de la palthe"
It received the names "Alexandrian Senna" and "Egyptian Senna" because
Alexandria in Egypt was the main trade port in past times. The fruits and leaves were transported from Nubia and Sudan and other places to Alexandria then from it and across the Mediterranean sea toEurope and adjacentAsia .Though it might look like a
scientific name , "Cassia Officinalis" is actually theapothecary term for this plant, and hence "Officinalis" - theLatin adjective denoting tools, utensils and medical compounds - is written with a large "o", unlike inspecific name s which are always written small today.Synonym s: [ILDIS (2005)]
* "Cassia acutifolia" Delile
* "Cassia alexandrina" (Garsault) Thell.
* "Cassia angustifolia" M. Vahl
* "Cassia lanceolata" Collad.Verify source|date=December 2007 :"C. lanceolata" Link is a synonym of "Senna sophera " var. "sophera"):"C. lanceolata" Pers. is a synonym of "Chamaecrista desvauxii " var. "mollissima"
* "Cassia lenitiva" Bisch.Verify source|date=December 2007
* "Cassia senna" L.
* "Senna acutifolia" (Delile) Batka
* "Senna alexandrina" Garsault
* "Senna angustifolia" (Vahl) BatkaFootnotes
References
*Verify source|date=December 2007 (1993): "Medicinal plants & Aromatic plants - Its chemistry-production-benefits" (2nd ed.). Dar el Maaref, Alexandria.
* (2005): [http://www.ildis.org/ Genera "Cassia" and "Senna"] . Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2007-DEC-20.
* (1982): The American Cassiinae. "Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden" 35: 1-918External links
[http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/senna-42.html Senna alexandrina profile at botanical.com]
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