SIAMESE CASSIA

Senna Siamea-

Family: Senna Siamea belongs to the family of Legumes.

Common Name: Senna Siame is commonly known as Sia Sunaru in Assamese and Kassod in Hindi.

Flowering period: September to December

Habitat: The tree is native to India and well-suited to India's sub-tropical climate.

Uses: The tree is usually grown for fodder and is browsed by livestock. However, it is only fed to ruminants as it contains alkaloids and anti-nutritional compounds that may harm non-ruminants like pig and poultry. It also has edible fruits and pods and the wood of the tree is used as fuel and in making furniture. The timber is used to make termite-resistant hardwood. Senna Siamea is used as a host plant for lac insects in China and is also planted in degraded areas for rehabilitation as it increases top soil infiltration, reduces runoff and reduces soil erosion.

Key features: Senna Siamea is a medium-sized fast growing leguminous tree. It usually grows around 10-12m in height and can get easily uprooted by strong winds. The tree has a straight trunk with a rounded and dense crown as well as alternately arranged leaves with each leaf having 6-14 pairs of leaflets. The plant also bears bright yellow flowers which have five petals. These flowers then form numerous long dark brown pods which contain seeds and are compressed between these seeds.