Senna tora

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This page is about the Cassia tora described by Linnaeus. Later authors usually applied the taxon to Senna obtusifolia.
Senna tora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Rosidae
(unranked) Eurosids I
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Cassieae
Subtribe: Cassiinae
Genus: Senna
Species: S. tora
Binomial name
Senna tora
(L.) Roxb.
Synonyms

Numerous, see text

Senna tora (originally described by Linné as Cassia tora) is a legume in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It grows wild in most of the tropics and is considered a weed in many places; its native range is not well known but probably South Asia. It is often confused with Chinese Senna or Sicklepod, S. obtusifolia. If it is given a distinct common name at all, it is called Sickle Wild Sensitive-plant[1].

[edit] Synonyms

The taxonomic history of this plant is extremely confused, even by the standards of Senna and Cassia. S. tora and S. obtusifolia were for long and are often still held to be - and may eventually be verified as - a single species. Hence, taxa referring to either species were indiscriminately applied to both.[2]

  • Cassia boreensis Miq.
  • Cassia borneensis Miq.
  • Cassia gallinaria Collad.
  • Cassia numilis Collad.
Apparently a misprint for Cassia humilis, which would have been applied to this species in error as it is properly a synonym of Senna obtusifolia and Chamaecrista kunthiana, depending on the author.
  • Cassia tora L.
As discussed above, the Cassia tora of other authors refers to Senna obtusifolia
  • Cassia tora L. var. borneensis (Miq.) Miq.
Cassia tora L. var. b, var. humilis, and var. obtusifolia all refer to Senna obtusifolia
  • Emelista tora Britton & Rose

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ NatureServe (2007)
  2. ^ ILDIS (2005)

[edit] References


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