Senna undulata
(Benth.) H. S. Irwin & Barneby
Undulate senna
(c) Gabriel Camilo Jaramillo Giraldo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Gabriel Camilo Jaramillo Giraldo
(c) jlsnaddon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
(c) jlsnaddon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Where to Find It
It is a tropical plant.
Amazon, Belize, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, South America, Trinidad, Venezuela, Windward Islands,
How to Identify
A tree in the Fabaceae family found in tropical regions.
How to Grow
Propagation: Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are sometimes used like those of senna. There are several species within this genus that have the common name of senna, and this record does not stipulate which of those species it refers to. However, the general use of the leaves is as an anthelmintic, laxative and poultice. They are used internally to rid the body of parasites and as a treatment against vomiting and stomach-ache, whilst externally, they are used to treat skin infections, sores, ulcers and insect bites.
Notes
Also as Caesalpinaceae.
Names & Synonyms
Botonero, Cigarronero, Dulia, Karaban-se-ch, Karaban-se-che, Uevandi
References (2)
- Grandtner, M. M., 2008, World Dictionary of Trees. Wood and Forest Science Department. Laval University, Quebec, Qc Canada. (Internet database http://www.wdt.qc.ca)
- Grandtner, M. M. & Chevrette, J., 2013, Dictionary of Trees, Volume 2: South America: Nomenclature, Taxonomy and Ecology. Academic Press p 602
