Ironwood cassia (Senna siamea, Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35: 98 (1982))

Family: Fabaceae

Author: (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

Bibliography: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35: 98 (1982)

Year: 1982

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Senna

Vegetable: False

Observations: Sri Lanka, Indo-China

Description

Ironwood cassia, scientifically known as Senna siamea, is a resilient and versatile tree belonging to the Fabaceae family. Renowned for its robust nature and adaptability, this species has a prominent presence in regions such as Sri Lanka and Indo-China, where it thrives in diverse environmental conditions.

Recognizable by its lush, green foliage and bright yellow flowers, the Ironwood cassia is often used in landscaping and reforestation projects due to its quick growth and ability to enhance soil quality. The tree contributes significantly to the ecosystem by fixing nitrogen in the soil, thereby promoting a healthier and more fertile ground for surrounding plant life.

Apart from its ecological benefits, Senna siamea also holds economic and medicinal value. Its dense wood, known for its superior hardness, is commonly utilized in furniture making and construction, providing a durable material for various applications. Furthermore, traditional medicine often employs the leaves, bark, and seeds of the Ironwood cassia for their purported health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Ecologically and economically valuable, the Ironwood cassia exemplifies a harmonious balance between nature and utility. Its wide-ranging benefits make it an indispensable species within its native regions and beyond, contributing to both the environment and human livelihood in meaningful ways.

For further reading and detailed taxonomy, the species’ description and critical examination can be found in the publication “Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35: 98 (1982)” by H.S. Irwin & Barneby.

Common Names

Eng: siamese cassia, siamese senna, thai cassia, thailand shower, kassodtree, pheasantwood
Fra: bois perdrix
Spa: flamboyán amarillo
En: Ironwood Cassia, Kassod Tree, Mjohoro, Siamese cassia, Yellow cassia, Siamese senna, Thai cassia, Thailand shower, Kassodtree, Pheasantwood
Bm: Baga-sinedian, Sinia
Bn: মিনজিরি
My: မယ်ဇလီပင်
Fi: Siaminsenna
Fr: Sindian, Bois perdrix, Cassia du Siam
Id: Johar
Ja: タガヤサン
Ms: Johar
Ml: മഞ്ഞക്കൊന്ന
Pt: Cássia-de-sião
Es: Flamboyán amarillo
Th: ขี้เหล็ก
Vi: Muồng đen

Synonyms

• Cassia florida (Vahl)
• Chamaefistula gigantea ((Bertero ex DC.) G.Don)
• Cassia gigantea (Bertero ex DC.)
• Senna sumatrana ((Roxb. ex Hornem.) Roxb.)
• Cassia sumatrana (Roxb. ex Hornem.)
• Cassia arborea (Macfad.)
• Cassia siamea (Lam.)
• Cassia siamea var. puberula (Kurz)

Distribution

• Laos (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Sri Lanka (native)
• Thailand (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• Andaman Is. (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Assam (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Bangladesh (introduced)
• Benin (introduced)
• Borneo (introduced)
• Brazil North (introduced)
• Brazil Northeast (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• Brazil West-Central (introduced)
• Burkina (introduced)
• Burundi (introduced)
• Cambodia (introduced)
• Cameroon (introduced)
• Caroline Is. (introduced)
• Central African Repu (introduced)
• Chad (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Comoros (introduced)
• Congo (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East Himalaya (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Ethiopia (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Ghana (introduced)
• Guinea (introduced)
• Guinea-Bissau (introduced)
• Gulf of Guinea Is. (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Ivory Coast (introduced)
• Jawa (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Laccadive Is. (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Liberia (introduced)
• Malawi (introduced)
• Malaya (introduced)
• Maldives (introduced)
• Mali (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Mauritania (introduced)
• Mauritius (introduced)
• Mozambique (introduced)
• Nepal (introduced)
• New Guinea (introduced)
• Nicobar Is. (introduced)
• Niger (introduced)
• Nigeria (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Panamá (introduced)
• Philippines (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Queensland (introduced)
• Réunion (introduced)
• Senegal (introduced)
• Sierra Leone (introduced)
• Society Is. (introduced)
• Sudan (introduced)
• Sulawesi (introduced)
• Sumatera (introduced)
• Swaziland (introduced)
• Togo (introduced)
• Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
• Uganda (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)
• Zambia (introduced)
• Zaïre (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Bark

Taken Apr 5, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 2, 2020 by Jean-Marie Tognola (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 25, 2020 by William Gustave (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 26, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 8, 2017 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Fruit

Taken Jun 10, 2022 by andreacorinzia (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 21, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 5, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 5, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2021 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Oct 7, 2021 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 23, 2019 by wikan cahya (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 26, 2021 by Houcine Maadi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 19, 2022 by Samarone Zimmermann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by Stephane Pons (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Mar 1, 2022 by Makoto Makoto (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 9, 2022 by shiv bahadur budhathoki (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 23, 2021 by rac ricardo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 19, 2022 by Samarone Zimmermann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 29, 2004 by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Anthony G. Miller (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jun 10, 2022 by andreacorinzia (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 5, 2021 by marques lucas (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 2, 2020 by Jean-Marie Tognola (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2016 by laurence comte (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Dec 26, 2019 by Santiago Maurício (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 29, 2019 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2956905)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:911410-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby)

Specifications

Growth habit: Tree

Growth