Senna artemisioides

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Senna artemisioides ssp. quadrifolia


Plant Characteristics
Habit   shrub

Height: 7 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 7.
Width: 7 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 7.
Lifespan: perennial
Origin: Australia
Bloom: early spring, mid spring, late spring, early summer, mid summer, late summer, early winter, mid winter, late winter
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 9 to 11
Scientific Names

Fabaceae >

Senna >

artemisioides >


Senna artemisioides is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is commonly known as Silver Cassia[1] or Feathery Cassia[2] - although "cassia" generally refers to the largest-growing Cassiinae. Some of its distinct subspecies also have common names of their own.

This is a shrub that grows up to 3 metres in height. It has pinnate leaves with between 1 and 8 pairs of leaflets. It produces an abundance of yellow flowers in winter and spring which are about 1.5 cm in diameter, followed by 2 to 7 cm long flat green pods which age to dark brown.

The species adapts to a wide range of climatic conditions, although it is susceptible to frost, particularly when young. It prefers dry, well drained sites with full sun. As an ornamental plant, it is propagated readily from seed, which should first be soaked in boiling water.[3]

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

The species was first described and placed in Cassia, but nowadays it has been moved to Senna. However, for a long time this plant was erroneously known as Cassia eremophila which is a true species of Cassia called Desert Cassia, described by Julius Rudolph Theodor Vogelwp.

A large number of formerly independent species are provisionally considered subspecies of S. artemisioideswp:

  • ssp. alicia Randell
  • ssp. artemisioides
  • ssp. filifolia Randell
  • ssp. helmsii (Symon) RandellBlunt-leaved Cassia
  • ssp. oligophylla (F.Muell.) RandellBlunt-leaved Cassia
  • ssp. petiolaris Randell Woody Cassia
  • ssp. quadrifolia Randell
(Senna quadrifolia Burm. is a synonym of Chamaecrista absus)
  • ssp. sturtii (R.Br.) RandellSturt's Cassia
  • ssp. zygophylla (Benth.) Randell

Some hybridogenic subspecies have also been namedwp:

  • nothosubsp. × artemisioides
  • ssp. × coriacea (Benth.) Randell
  • nothosubsp. × coriacea (Benth.) Randell
(Cassia coriacea Benth. is a synonym of Chamaecrista coriacea)
  • nothosubsp. × sturtii (R.Br.) Randell

In addition, there are apparently at least 2 undescribed taxawp:

  • Senna artemisioides "James Range (P.L.Latz 18528)"
  • Senna artemisioides "Kuyunba (B.Pitts 113)"

Altogether, S. artemisioides might be best considered a form taxon whose phylogenetic diversity is still largely unresolvedwp.

Gallery

References

External links