More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
Optimized for viewing on desktop or laptop
Flowers of Zihuatanejo
American Sicklepod
Senna obtusifolia
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Legumes, Milkworts, and Allies (Order Fabales)
-Legumes (Family Fabaceae)
-Subfamily Faboideae
-Tribe Cassieae
-Subtribe Cassiinae
-Sennas (Genus Senna)
-American Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia)
Senna is a member of the legume family. The flower has five sepals and five usually yellow petals. Herbal use is very common in traditional medicine. The plant is an effective natural laxative, and the leaves can easily be brewed into a tea with proven effects fighting constipation.
Description
• Senna obtusifolia, commonly known as sicklepod or Chinese senna, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb in the legume family (Fabaceae).
• It typically grows 0.5–2 m tall, with pinnate leaves bearing three pairs of oval to oblong leaflets with rounded tips.
• Its yellow flowers usually appear singly or in small groups in the leaf axils.
• The long, slender seed pods are often curved or sickle-shaped and contain numerous seeds.
• The plant can become invasive in agricultural areas, and its foliage and seeds contain compounds that are toxic to livestock.
Range
• Senna obtusifolia is native to the tropical and subtropical Americas but has spread widely throughout tropical regions worldwide.
• It occurs in Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region of Guerrero, where it may grow naturally or in disturbed areas.
Habitat
• Commonly grows in roadsides, pastures, cultivated fields, vacant lots, and other disturbed sites.
• Favours warm, sunny conditions and can tolerate a range of soils, including seasonally dry ground.