Senna occidentalis

Senna occidentalis

Scientific Classification:

·         Kingdom: Plantae

·         Clade: Angiosperms

·         Order: Fabales

·         Family: Fabaceae

·         Genus: Senna

·         Species: S. occidentalis

Synonyms: Cassia occidentalis

Common Names: African coffee

Local Names: Sanga-sanga or Rai dore (Hausa) Akidi agbara (Ibo) and Abo rere (Yoruba)

Species ID: NMP-157;wfo-1200001901;NCBI_Taxonomy ID: 126820

Basic Description: Senna occidentalis, also known as coffee senna or styptic weed, is a tropical plant recognized for its erect, shrubby form that can reach up to 2 meters in height. It has pinnate leaves with several pairs of leaflets and bears yellow flowers.

Distribution and Habitat: This species is native to the Americas but has become widespread across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. It thrives in disturbed areas, often in wastelands or fields.

Medicinal Properties: Traditionally used to treat skin diseases, fevers, and gastrointestinal issues. The plant contains compounds with recognized antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties​.

Known Toxicity: Senna occidentalis has toxic compounds that can cause severe poisoning and even death, particularly through the ingestion of its seeds, which have been linked to fatal outcomes in both humans and livestock​​.

References

  1. Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Senna occidentalis. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senna_occidentalis
  2. Oladeji, O. S., Adelowo, F. E., Oluyori, A. P., & Bankole, D. T. (2020). Ethnobotanical description and biological activities of Senna alata. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020.

External links

  1. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/3/3/3353
  2. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.11450
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/senna-occidentalis
  4. http://publish.plantnet-project.org/project/plantinvasivekruger/collection/collection/synthese/details/CASOC
  5. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Senna+occidentalis
  6. https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/senna_occidentalis.htm
  7. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1117728-2
  8. https://levypreserve.org/plant-listings/senna-occidentalis/

More Pictures
Compounds of Senna occidentalis
References

Lawal, A. M., Abdullahi, R., Ibrahim, M. S., Kurfi, M. Y., Khalid, A., & Nuhu, M. (2019). Phytochemical analysis and thin layer chromatography profiling of crude extracts from Senna occidentalis (leaves). Journal of Biotechnology and Biomedical Science, 2(1), 12-21.