Senna odorata

Senna odorata
	Spring blooms
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Caesalpinioideae
Genus:	Senna
Species:	S. odorata
Binomial name
	Senna odorata; (R.Morris) Randall
Synonyms
	Cassia australis Sims; Cassia odorata R.Morris; Cassia schultesii Colla; Senna barronfieldii Colla;

Senna odorata, which is also known as fragrant senna, spreading cassia, sweet-scented cassia or southern cassia, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family that is native to Australia.

Description

S. odorata can usually reach a height of 1.5–2.4 m (4 ft 11 in – 7 ft 10 in), but this upright and sprawling perennial shrub may become a tree.^[3] It has paripinnate alternate leaves, with six to 12 pairs of leathery textured, slender, oval leaflets.

Flowers are bright yellow and cup-shaped, arranged in small clusters or in panicles. They are lightly fragrant (hence the specific epithet odorata, meaning odorous). The flowering period extends from late winter to spring. The fruits are flat legume pods with many small seeds.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Distribution

This species is native to the forest edges of Australia (southern Queensland, south to New South Wales), usually in dry sclerophyll forest. It has been introduced in India and Mauritius.^[4]^[7]

In its habitat, the plant can tolerate drought, light frost and high wind.^[8]