Tribe Cassieae Rank Species | Subtribe Cassiinae | |
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Similar Senna, Senna armata, Legumes, Senna covesii, Senna gaudichaudii | ||
Senna wislizeni is commonly called Wislizenus' senna or shrubby senna (formerly "cassia", but this generally refers to larger Cassiinae). Formerly in the "wastebin taxon" Cassia sensu lato, it is now placed in the genus Senna or sometimes separated in Palmerocassia together with Senna unijuga.
This is a perennial, deciduous shrub native to Chihuahua and Hidalgo in Mexico; and Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in the U.S. It is a desert plant with good heat and drought tolerance.
Senna wislizeni can reach ten feet (3 meters) tall with a ten-foot spread. It has compound foliage. In summer, especially late summer, it bears yellow flowers developing into long, flat, dark brown pods. Flowers are visited by carpenter bees, and bumblebees. Sulphur butterflies use the plant as a larval food source.
The species is named after Dr. F. A. Wislizenus, a botanist who studied Mexican flora in the mid-19th century. Some sources mistakenly spell the epithet "wislizenii." Correct spelling is with one "i," per ICN article 60C.2.
There are several named varieties:
