Cassia sophora

(L.) Wall.

FabaceaeLeavesSeeds/NutsFlowersShootsPotential hazards — see below

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(c) MP Zhou, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

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(c) Kuan-Chieh (Chuck) Hung, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Shoots, Leaves, Seeds, Flowers

The shoots, leaves, seeds, and flowers are edible. The leaves contain purgative compounds (senna and chrysophanic acid) that should be removed by boiling and washing before consumption.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

A tropical plant. It grows throughout the tropics.

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Laos, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, Tonga, Vietnam,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Micronesia, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Marshall Islands, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Palau, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Samoa, Yemen

How to Identify

A shrub 2-3 m tall. The stems have few hairs. The leaf stalks have a club shaped gland near the base. The leaflets are in 4-10 pairs and they are 2-7 cm long by 0.8-2 cm wide. The flowers are in very short clusters in the axils of upper leaves. The flower stalks are 0.8-2.5 cm long. The petals are yellow and 1-1.5 cm long. The fruit are oblong, thin, slightly curved pods. They are 5-10.5 cm long by 0.6-1.1 cm wide. The pods are divided by partitions. The seeds are grey-brown and rounded. They are 4-4.5 mm long by 3.5-4.5 mm wide. They lie at right angles to the long axis of the pod.

Medicinal Uses

The leaves have traditional purgative uses due to their senna and chrysophanic acid content.

Notes

It is not known if they are used for food in Papua New Guinea. There are 100 Cassia species. This group has been revised to a smaller more consistent group. Also as Caesalpinaceae. This name needs clarifying. Possibly Cassia sophera now Senna sophera.

Names & Synonyms

Cacay, Jamgli takla, Kashawada, Muong ngot, Poonaverie, Pydee tanghadu, Ran takla

Now Cassia barclayanaPossibly now Senna sophora (L.) Roxburgh

References (11)

GAMMIE,
Gunjatkar, N., & Vartak, V.D., 1982, Enumeration of wild edible legumes from Pune District, Maharashtra State. J.Econ. Tax. Bot. Vol 3 pp 1-9
Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 174
Hu, Shiu-ying, 2005, Food Plants of China. The Chinese University Press. p 470
Pham-Hoang Ho, 1999, An Illustrated Flora of Vietnam. Nha Xuat Ban Tre. p 850
READ,
SHORTT,
Sp. pl. 1:379. 1753
Verdcourt, B., 1979, Manual of New Guinea Legumes. Botany Bulletin No 11, Division of Botany, Lae, Papua New Guinea. p 54
WATT,
Yuncker, T.G., 1959, Plants of Tonga, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Hawaii, Bulletin 220. p 136