Senna uniflora
(Mill.) H. S. Irwin & Barneby
Oneleaf senna
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(c) Siddarth Machado, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Siddarth Machado
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Summary
Source: WikipediaSenna uniflora, the oneleaf senna, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela, and most of Brazil, and has been introduced to India, Mauritius, and Réunion. Although it is somewhat weedy and invasive, it is used to out-compete the pernicious weed Parthenium hysterophorus.
Description
A tropical annual shrub in the legume family (Fabaceae) that grows approximately 1 m tall. It is native to tropical regions at elevations between 200–1,000 m and produces seeds that are used as a coffee substitute.
Edible Uses
The seeds are roasted and used as a coffee substitute.
Medicinal Uses
The leaves are used as poultices for wounds. The roots are used for combating dropsy.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows between 200-1,000 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Asia, Brazil, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, South America, Venezuela, West Indies,
Cultivation
The seeds should be soaked in warm water before sowing.
Propagation
Seed - requires pre-treatment to soften the hard seedcoat and allow the ingress of water. This can be done by soaking the seed in a small amount of nearly boiling water (which cools down quickly and does not cook the seed) and then soaking the seed for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. Alternatively, a small area of the seed coat can be abraded, being careful not to damage the embryo.
Other Uses
In India cultivated to control and replace the weed Parthenium hysterophorus.
Synonyms
References (4)
- Ferns, Useful Tropical Plants.
- Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 798
- Roa, J. A. G. & Boada, D. S. G., 2018, Fundación para el Fortalecimiento de la Fruticultura y Plantas Alimenticias no Convencionales en Colombia.
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
