Senna occidentalis - Kasamarda

Kasamarda, Senna occidentalis

Kasamarda is a leafy, malodorous annual to shrubby plant that can grow up to 2 metres tall but is usually smaller. The plant is often annual, at least in seasonal climates. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local medicinal use, whilst the seed is sometimes used as a coffee substitute. The plant is sometimes cultivated for medicinal purposes.

Uses

Poisoning, Throat infection, Cough and cold, Asthma, Skin disorders

Parts Used

Root, Leaves, Seeds

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	aanesogate, anechagate, dodda thagache, elevure
Hindi	bari-kasondi, chakunda
Malayalam	karintakara, mattantakara, payavera, ponnaviram
Tamil	kattuttakarai, narattantakarai, nattavarai, peravarai, ponavarai, thagarai
Telugu	eddhukommaku, kasinda, kasivindam
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	arimarda, dipana, jarana, karkasha, kasaghna, kasamarda, vimarda
English	Coffee Senna

Properties

Reference: Dravya - Substance, Rasa - Taste, Guna - Qualities, Veerya - Potency, Vipaka - Post-digesion effect, Karma - Pharmacological activity, Prabhava - Therepeutics.

Rasa

Tikta (Bitter), Madhura (Sweet)

Guna

Laghu (Light), Rooksha (Dry)

Veerya

Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka

Katu (Pungent)

Karma

Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Habit

Shrub

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
Pinnate	alternate	Leaves up to 22 cm long; leaflets 4-5 pairs, 2.5-7 x 1.5-3.5 cm , ovate-lanceolate, apex acute or acuminate, base rounded, glabrous or pubescent; rachis to 18 cm long with a sessile, hemispherical gland at base; stipules 4-7 mm long, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, caducous.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
Bisexual	axillary and terminal racemes	Yellow	10	Flowers c. 2 cm across, in terminal and axillary racemes, to 3 cm long; pedicels 0.8-1.2 cm long; bracts linear-lanceolate. Sepals 6-10 mm long, ovate, obtuse, mucronate. Petals 5, yellow, 1-1.5 cm long, obovate. Stamens 10, unequal, only 7 fertile.

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
A Pod	5-9 x 0.6-0.8 cm		linear, compressed	seeds 20-25, 4-5 x 3-4 mm, ovate or suborbicular, compressed, brown.	{{{6}}}

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Cuttings.

Commonly seen growing in areas

Tropical area.

Photo Gallery

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  Plant

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  Flower

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  Pods

External Links

• [1]
• [2]