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Cassia fistula L.

Golden shower tree (en), Faux séné (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Fabales > Fabaceae > Cassia

Characteristics

Deciduous or semideciduous tree, 10-15 m tall, rarely more; young twigs glabrous, branches spreading. Leaves with 3-7 pairs of leaflets; stipules deltoid, acute, 1-2 mm long, tardily caducous, subglabrous; petiole terete, 5-8 cm long, glabrous; rachis 10-30 cm long, terete. Leaflets subcoriaceous, ovate-oblong, acute, 7-12 by 4-8 cm, glabrous when mature, shining above; base broadly cuneate; petiolules 4-6 mm. Racemes axillary, 1-few together, pendant, lax, many-flowered, 20-40(-60) cm long; peduncle 2-10 cm; bracts 8-10 mm, ovate, acute, puberulous, early caducous; bracteoles 5-7 mm, linear, puberulous. Flowers on slender, glabrous pedicels, 3-3.5 cm long. Sepals ovate-elliptic, velutinous outside, 7-10 mm long. Petals golden-yellow, broadly ovate, subequal, 30-35 by 10-15 cm, shortly clawed. Stamens 10: 3 long with filaments 3-4 cm, anthers 5 mm long, opening by apical and basal slits; 4 shorter with filaments 6-10 mm; anthers opening by a basal pore; reduced stamens 3 with filaments 3-4 mm and minute anthers. Ovary stipitate, strigulose, style velutinous; stigma small. Pods pendulous, terete, glabrous, black, indehiscent, 20-60 cm long, 1.5-2 cm diam. Seeds numerous, separated by chartaceous septa and embedded in a glutinous, black pulp, glossy brown, smooth, elliptic, flattened, 8-9 by 5-6 mm.
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Trees, deciduous, to 15 m tall. Leaves 30-40 cm, with 3 or 4 pairs of leaflets; leaflets adaxially shiny, broadly ovate or ovate-oblong, 8-13 × 4-8 cm, leathery, both surfaces puberu­lent when young, glabrous when mature, base broadly cuneate, apex acute. Racemes axillary, 20-40(-60) cm, lax, pendent, many flowered; flowers 3.5-4 cm in diam. Pedicels 3-5 cm, slender. Sepals narrowly ovate, 1-1.5 cm, reflexed at anthesis. Petals golden yellow, broadly ovate, subequal, 2.5-3.5 cm, shortly clawed. Stamens 10, 3 long with curved filaments 3-4 cm, anthers ca. 5 mm, exceeding petals, 4 short with straight filaments 6-10 mm, reduced stamens with minute anthers. Ovary stalked, strigulose; stigma small. Legume pendulous, blackish brown, terete, sausage-shaped, indehiscent, 30-60 cm, 2-2.5 cm in diam. Seeds numerous, separated by papery septa, glossy brown, elliptic, flattened. 2n = 28.
puberulent to glabrous above, lightly pubescent below; petiolules up to 1 cm. long. Inflorescence a large, graceful, pendent, many-flowered raceme; pedicels slender, usually 3-4 cm. long. Flowers large, showy, yellow; sepals 5, comparatively small (usually about 6 mm. long), ovate or oblong, puberulent; petals 5, large, about 2 cm. long or longer, ovate-orbicular, short-clawed, venose; stamens 3-morphic; the 3 lowermost almost 3 cm. long, the anthers ovate-oblong, 4-5 mm. long, glabrous, dehiscent apically and basally; the 4 median stamens about 1 cm. long, the anther ovate-oblong, sagittate, about 4 mm. long, dehiscent from the basal lobes (and apical pores); 3 uppermost stamens shorter and smaller, somewhat unequal, the anthers similar to the median ones; ovary slender, lightly pubescent. Legume (reported) cylindric, about 50 cm. long, indehiscent, with horizontal seeds.
Tree to 20 m tall, deciduous, glabrous except for the pubescent ovary. Leaves 10-50 cm long including petiole 4–7 cm long; stipules caducous; leaflets in 2–7 pairs, folded together upwards, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 5–9 cm long, 4–9 cm wide, increasing distally, usually acuminate and acute at the apex. Inflorescence of 20–75 flowers, 15–65 cm long, pendulous, fragrant; pedicels 3–7 cm long; bracts and bracteoles caducous as the pedicel begins to elongate. Petals 20–30 mm long. Fertile stamens 7, with 3 adaxial staminodes; filaments unequal; shortest adaxial ones c. 5 mm long; longest abaxial ones 25–45 mm long, sigmoidally curved, not nodose; anthers unequal, 2–5 mm long. Pod cylindric, 30–60 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm diam. Seeds transverse, 1-seriate, c. 8 mm diam., embedded in blackish pulp, smooth, glossy.
A deciduous or evergreen tree. It grows to 9-20 m high and spreads 3-5 m wide. The stem is erect and slender. Sometimes it has small buttresses. The leaves are 45-60 cm long and divided with 6-16 leaflets which are 15 cm long and 4-9 cm wide. The leaflets are wedge shaped at the base. The leaves are bright green. The leaf stalk is 7-10 cm long. The flowers are yellow and have a smell. They occur in long drooping sprays which can be 20-40 cm long. The flowers are 4 cm across. The fruit are brown pods. These can be 20-60 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide. They are black and smooth. The seeds are brown and glossy. They are 1.3 cm long and flattened.
Tree up to 20 m., usually glabrous. Leaves large, several-foliolate; petiole about 5 cm. long, glabrous, eglandular; rachis usually 2-4 dm. long, like the petiole; stipules small, caducous; leaflets normally 4-8 pairs, large, 8-20 cm. long and up to 8 cm. wide, ovate to lanceolate, acute apically, very obtuse basally,
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 3.0 - 5.0
Mature height (meter) 12.5 - 16.5
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 1.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer present
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

A tropical plant. It is native to India. It prefers a rich well drained soil. It needs a protected sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. Plants need a temperature above 16°C for growth. It grows all over India up to 1500 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. In XTBG Yunnan. It suits hardiness zones 10-12.
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Dry deciduous forest at lower altitudes. Open forest and grassland.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 3-5
Soil texture 2-5
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 10-11

Usage

UsesBesides the ornamental value and the long-time use also in western medicine of the pulp in the ripe pods as a laxative, several other parts of the plants have been and still are in use, e.g. the bark for tanning and as an ingredient in betel paste. A decoction of the roots has been used for purifying wounds. The pods are still imported to health stores in the West. See K.Heyne Nutt. Pl. Indon 3 1950 741 Burkill Diet. Econ. Prod. Malay Penins. 1935 475.
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The young leaves and flower buds are cooked as a vegetable. The leaves are chopped small before cooking. The flowers are fried. The pulp of the pods is eaten but not the seeds. CAUTION: The pod pulp is a purgative but safe. It is only eaten in small quantities. The pulp is used as an ingredient in spiced Indian tobacco.
Cultivated both for medicinal use of the pith of the pods and for the very attractive flowering display.
Uses animal food charcoal construction dye environmental use food fuel gum material medicinal ornamental poison social use spice tanning timber wood
Edible barks flowers fruits leaves pods seeds
Therapeutic use Abdominal pain (bark), Abortifacient agents (bark), Acne vulgaris (bark), Amenorrhea (bark), Analgesics (bark), Anthelmintics (bark), Antifungal agents (bark), Anti-infective agents (bark), Antineoplastic agents (bark), Antipyretics (bark), Antirheumatic agents (bark), Antiviral agents (bark), Astringents (bark), Blindness (bark), Burns (bark), Cardiotonic agents (bark), Cathartics (bark), Chest pain (bark), Colic (bark), Contraceptive agents (bark), Diabetes mellitus (bark), Diarrhea (bark), Diuretics (bark), Dysentery (bark), Dyspepsia (bark), Edema (bark), Emetics (bark), Facial paralysis (bark), Fever (bark), Furunculosis (bark), Gastrointestinal diseases (bark), Headache (bark), Heart diseases (bark), Herpes simplex (bark), Hypoglycemic agents (bark), Inflammation (bark), Insect bites and stings (bark), Insect repellents (bark), Insecticides (bark), Labor pain (bark), Laxatives (bark), Leprosy (bark), Liver diseases (bark), General tonic for rejuvenation (bark), Scorpion stings (bark), Skin diseases (bark), Snake bites (bark), Splenomegaly (bark), Ulcer (bark), Urination disorders (bark), Vitiligo (bark), Wounds and injuries (bark), Antinematodal agents (flower), Antipruritics (flower), Antipyretics (flower), Astringents (flower), Bronchitis (flower), Cathartics (flower), Cough (flower), Demulcents (flower), Digestive system diseases (flower), Emollients (flower), Expectorants (flower), Leprosy (flower), Mycoses (flower), Pain (flower), Skin diseases (flower), Stomach diseases (flower), Uterine contraction (flower), Vomiting (flower), Abortifacient agents (fruit), Acne vulgaris (fruit), Amenorrhea (fruit), Analgesics (fruit), Anorexia (fruit), Antifungal agents (fruit), Anti-inflammatory agents (fruit), Antineoplastic agents (fruit), Antipruritics (fruit), Antipyretics (fruit), Antirheumatic agents (fruit), Antiviral agents (fruit), Appetite stimulants (fruit), Asthenia (fruit), Asthma (fruit), Cardiovascular diseases (fruit), Cathartics (fruit), Chest pain (fruit), Colic (fruit), Common cold (fruit), Constipation (fruit), Contraceptive agents (fruit), Cough (fruit), Diabetes mellitus (fruit), Disinfectants (fruit), Diuretics (fruit), Dysentery (fruit), Dyspepsia (fruit), Earache (fruit), Eczema (fruit), Edema (fruit), Emollients (fruit), Estrogen receptor modulators (fruit), Eye diseases (fruit), Fever (fruit), Flatulence (fruit), Furunculosis (fruit), Gout (fruit), Graves ophthalmopathy (fruit), Heart diseases (fruit), Hematologic diseases (fruit), Hemorrhoids (fruit), Hepatomegaly (fruit), Hypoglycemic agents (fruit), Inflammation (fruit), Jaundice (fruit), Labor pain (fruit), Laxatives (fruit), Leprosy (fruit), Liver diseases (fruit), Menstruation-inducing agents (fruit), Pain (fruit), Pharyngitis (fruit), Pneumonia (fruit), General tonic for rejuvenation (fruit), Skin diseases (fruit), Snake bites (fruit), Stomach diseases (fruit), Tongue diseases (fruit), Tonsillitis (fruit), Urinary retention (fruit), Urination disorders (fruit), Urologic diseases (fruit), Vitiligo (fruit), Whooping cough (fruit), Washerman's itch (leaf), Abdominal pain (leaf), Acne vulgaris (leaf), Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (leaf), Antifungal agents (leaf), Anti-infective agents, local (leaf), Anti-inflammatory agents (leaf), Antimutagenic agents (leaf), Antinematodal agents (leaf), Antipruritics (leaf), Antipyretics (leaf), Antirheumatic agents (leaf), Antitoxins (leaf), Asthma (leaf), Astringents (leaf), Brain diseases (leaf), Carbuncle (leaf), Cathartics (leaf), Common cold (leaf), Constipation (leaf), Diabetes mellitus (leaf), Eczema (leaf), Edema (leaf), Emaciation (leaf), Emetics (leaf), Facial paralysis (leaf), Fever (leaf), Gout (leaf), Hemorrhoids (leaf), Herpes simplex (leaf), Hypoglycemic agents (leaf), Inflammation (leaf), Insect bites and stings (leaf), Insect repellents (leaf), Insecticides (leaf), Intestinal diseases, parasitic (leaf), Counterirritant (leaf), Jaundice (leaf), Laxatives (leaf), Leprosy (leaf), Migraine disorders (leaf), Paralysis (leaf), Prurigo (leaf), General tonic for rejuvenation (leaf), Scabies (leaf), Skin diseases (leaf), Ulcer (leaf), Wounds and injuries (leaf), Antiperiodic (leaf), Abnormal delivery (root), Analgesics (root), Antifungal agents (root), Antipyretics (root), Antirheumatic agents (root), Arthralgia (root), Arthritis (root), Astringents (root), Breast diseases (root), Cardiovascular diseases (root), Cathartics (root), Chest pain (root), Common cold (root), Constipation (root), Diabetes mellitus (root), Dysentery (root), Dyspepsia (root), Dysuria (root), Edema (root), Fever (root), Furunculosis (root), Gastrointestinal diseases (root), Heart diseases (root), Hemorrhage (root), Jaundice (root), Laxatives (root), Leishmaniasis, visceral (root), Leprosy (root), Liver diseases (root), Migraine disorders (root), Pain (root), Pyoderma (root), General tonic for rejuvenation (root), Skin diseases (root), Snake bites (root), Syphilis (root), Tuberculosis (root), Tuberculosis, lymph node (root), Ulcer (root), Vomiting (root), Wound healing (root), Wounds and injuries (root), Anthelmintics (seed), Anti-bacterial agents (seed), Antinematodal agents (seed), Antiprotozoal agents (seed), Antipyretics (seed), Antirheumatic agents (seed), Appetite stimulants (seed), Bile acids and salts (seed), Cardiotonic agents (seed), Cathartics (seed), Constipation (seed), Diabetes mellitus (seed), Digestive system diseases (seed), Diuretics (seed), Dysentery, amebic (seed), Emetics (seed), Filariasis (seed), Flatulence (seed), Gastric acid (seed), Jaundice (seed), Laxatives (seed), Leprosy (seed), Liver diseases (seed), Menorrhagia (seed), Migraine disorders (seed), Pain (seed), Pharyngitis (seed), General tonic for rejuvenation (seed), Scabies (seed), Skin diseases (seed), Toothache (seed), Urinary retention (seed), Vomiting (seed), Antifungal agents (shoot), Antinematodal agents (stem), Antineoplastic agents (stem), Jaundice (stem), Tuberculosis (stem), Aperient (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Burn (unspecified), Cancer (unspecified), Carbuncle (unspecified), Convulsion (unspecified), Dermatosis (unspecified), Diarrhea (unspecified), Dysuria (unspecified), Epilepsy (unspecified), Flu (unspecified), Fumitory (unspecified), Gravel (unspecified), Hematuria (unspecified), Herpes (unspecified), Laxative (unspecified), Pimple (unspecified), Purgative (unspecified), Syphilis (unspecified), Tumor(Glands) (unspecified), Vermifuge (unspecified), Constipation (unspecified), Delirium (unspecified), Wound (unspecified), Abdominal pain (unspecified), Acne vulgaris (unspecified), Analgesics (unspecified), Anthelmintics (unspecified), Anthrax (unspecified), Anticonvulsants (unspecified), Antipruritics (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Antirheumatic agents (unspecified), Antitubercular agents (unspecified), Antitussive agents (unspecified), Appetite stimulants (unspecified), Astringents (unspecified), Burns (unspecified), Cardiovascular diseases (unspecified), Cathartics (unspecified), Common cold (unspecified), Diabetes mellitus (unspecified), Digestive system diseases (unspecified), Disinfectants (unspecified), Dysentery (unspecified), Eczema (unspecified), Emetics (unspecified), Eye diseases (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Filariasis (unspecified), Fractures, bone (unspecified), Gout (unspecified), Heart diseases (unspecified), Hematemesis (unspecified), Hoarseness (unspecified), Intestinal diseases, parasitic (unspecified), Jaundice (unspecified), Kidney calculi (unspecified), Laxatives (unspecified), Leprosy (unspecified), Liver diseases (unspecified), Lung diseases (unspecified), Malaria (unspecified), Migraine disorders (unspecified), Neoplasms (unspecified), Anti-poisoning (unspecified), Pregnancy (unspecified), Pyoderma (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified), Scabies (unspecified), Scorpion stings (unspecified), Skin diseases (unspecified), Snake bites (unspecified), Stomach diseases (unspecified), Tuberculosis, lymph node (unspecified), Urination disorders (unspecified), Vitiligo (unspecified), Vomiting (unspecified), Child health (unspecified), Abscess (wood), Dysentery (wood), Heart diseases (wood), Jaundice (wood), Leprosy (wood), Syphilis (wood)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

The plants are grown from seed. The seed need to have the hard seed coat broken. This can be done by boiling them for a few minutes before sowing. It can be cut back and will re-grow.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 7 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) 1
Optimum temperature (C°) 18 - 30
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Cassia fistula habit picture by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula habit picture by Alicia Voticky (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Cassia fistula leaf picture by ifp660 (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula leaf picture by ahmed fares (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula leaf picture by Gentry Amalo (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Cassia fistula flower picture by Chee Keong Chan (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula flower picture by Chee Keong Chan (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula flower picture by Nik Nicola (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Cassia fistula fruit picture by Alena Tereshchenko (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula fruit picture by sanketh kulkarni (cc-by-sa)
Cassia fistula fruit picture by M Masappan (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Cassia fistula world distribution map, present in Angola, Argentina, American Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Bhutan, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Guatemala, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Indonesia, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Iceland, Kenya, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mexico, Myanmar, Northern Mariana Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Malawi, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Niue, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico, Singapore, El Salvador, Suriname, Seychelles, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Taiwan, Province of China, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, United States of America, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

Conservation status

Cassia fistula threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:484507-1
WFO ID wfo-0000163802
COL ID RLJX
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID 447035
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Bactyrilobium fistula Cassia rhombifolia Cassia bonplandiana Cassia excelsa Cassia fistuloides Cathartocarpus excelsus Cathartocarpus fistula Cathartocarpus fistuloides Cathartocarpus rhombifolius Cassia fistula var. ovata Cassia fistula
WorldFloraDB 2024