Senna tora

Senna tora (L.) Roxb. Fl. Ind. ed. 2: 340. 1832; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 10: 32; Cassia tora L., Sp. Pl. 1: 376. 1753; Baker in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 263. 1879; Ali in Nasir & Ali, Fl. W. Pak. 54: 19. 1973; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 209. 1999; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 233. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 250. 2006; Rudd. in Dassanayake and Fosberg (eds.), A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon. Vol. 7.1991

Herbs, suffrutescent, annual, erect, ca. 1m tall, often profusely branched, foetid. Leaves 5-10 cm long, unipinnate paripinnate; leaflets 2-4 pairs, 2-6 cm x 1.5-2.5 cm, opposite, obovate to ovate-oblong, membranous, abaxially appressed pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrous, base cuneate to rounded, cuspidate; petiolules 1.5-2.0 mm; petiole 2.5-4.0 cm long, without glands; rachis with a club-shaped gland each between two lower pair of leaflets; stipules 10-15 mm long, linear-subulate, falcate, hairy, caducous or subpersistent. Racemes axillary, short, 1-2(-6) flowered, peduncle 6-10 mm; flowers zygomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous, perigynous; pedicels 5-9 mm long, elongating in fruit up to 1.5 cm. Bracts 2-4 mm long, linear subulate. Flowers 1-2 cm long, ca. 3 cm across. Sepals 5, unequal, oblong to rounded, 5-8 mm long, membranous, pubescent outside. Petals yellow, unequal, 9-12 mm x 5-6.5 mm, lower (abaxial or anterior) two slightly longer, obovate, rounded emarginate at apex, shortly clawed. Stamens 10; fertile stamens 7, 3 lower largest, 4 laterals smaller, 3 upper minute (staminodes), sometimes staminodes absent; anthers oblong dehiscing by apical pores, filaments thick. Ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, densely white pubescent, unilocular with many ovules; style glabrous. Legumes terete, subtetragonous, slender, linear, 10-16 mm x 5-6.5 mm, acute at apex and also at base, falcate or almost straight, margins thickened, indehiscent, 20-30-seeded. Seeds 6-7.5 mm x ca. 3 mm with an areole on each face, 5-6.5 mm x 1.5-2 mm, rhomboidal, glabrous, dark brown.

Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year
Common Names: Chinese Senna, Foetid Cassia, Stinking Cassia, Low Senna, Sickle Senna, Sickle Pod, Tora