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''Senna siamea'', also known as Siamese cassia, kassod tree, cassod tree and cassia tree, is a
It is a medium-size, evergreen tree growing up to with yellow flowers. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, with slender, green-reddish, tinged axis and 6 to 12 pairs of leaflets on short stalks, rounded at both ends.
It is often used as shade tree in cocoa, coffee and tea plantations. In
This plant has medicinal value and it contains a compound named barakol. The leaves, tender pods and seeds are edible, but they must be previously boiled and the water discarded. They are used in Burmese and also in 
Scientific studies have established its medicinal potential, mainly on account of the anxyolitic properties of its main active chemical: barakol. It is sold in Asian pharmacies, mostly as a sleep aid, but also to treat constipation and as a hair balm.
FAO - Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin & Barneby
{{Authority control siamea Flora of Indo-China Trees of Thailand Trees of Vietnam Thai cuisine Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Asian vegetables Plants described in 1785 Fabales of Asia
legume
Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...
in the subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...
Caesalpinioideae
Caesalpinioideae is a botanical name at the rank of subfamily, placed in the large family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. Its name is formed from the generic name '' Caesalpinia''. It is known also as the peacock flower subfamily. The Caesalpinioideae a ...
. It is native to South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
, although its exact origin is unknown.
Description
It is a medium-size, evergreen tree growing up to with yellow flowers. Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, with slender, green-reddish, tinged axis and 6 to 12 pairs of leaflets on short stalks, rounded at both ends.
It is often used as shade tree in cocoa, coffee and tea plantations. In Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
it is the provincial tree of Chaiyaphum Province and some places in the country are named after it.
Uses
This plant has medicinal value and it contains a compound named barakol. The leaves, tender pods and seeds are edible, but they must be previously boiled and the water discarded. They are used in Burmese and also in Thai cuisine
Thai cuisine (, , ) is the national cuisine of Thailand.
Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with aromatics and spicy heat. The Australian chef David Thompson (chef), David Thompson, an expert on Thai food, observes that ...
where one of the most well-known preparations is ''kaeng khilek'' ().
In Burmese tradition, during the full moon day of Tazaungmon
Tazaungmon (; also spelt Tazaungmone) is the eighth month of the traditional Burmese calendar.
Festivals and observances
* Kahtein ( Thadingyut - Tazaungmon)
*Full moon of Tazaungmon
** Tazaungdaing Festival of Lights ()
***Matho Thingan Robe We ...
, Burmese families pick Siamese cassia buds and prepare it in a salad called '' mezali phu thoke'' (မယ်ဇလီဖူးသုပ်) or in a soup.
Other uses include as fodder
Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food ...
plant, in intercropping systems, windbreaks, and shelter belts.
As a hardwood, it is used for ornamentation on instruments (ukuleles and guitars) and decorative products. In this capacity it is known as pheasantwood or ''polohala'', named for the similarity of the grain to pheasant feathers. It is sometimes used in Chinese furniture (known as ''jichimu'') interchangeably with wood from the ''Ormosia'' species.
Scientific studies have established its medicinal potential, mainly on account of the anxyolitic properties of its main active chemical: barakol. It is sold in Asian pharmacies, mostly as a sleep aid, but also to treat constipation and as a hair balm.
Vernacular names
*, ''mezali'' *, ''khilek'' * *, ''ton khi heak'' *Twi: Nkyedua *Ewe: Zangara gbe *Kiswahili : mhoba *Assamese: XunarooSee also
*''Millettia laurentii
''Millettia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It consists of about 169 species of shrubs, lianas or trees, which are native to tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, sout ...
''
*''Millettia leucantha
''Millettia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It consists of about 169 species of shrubs, lianas or trees, which are native to tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, sout ...
''
*'' Ormosia''
References
External links
FAO - Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin & Barneby
{{Authority control siamea Flora of Indo-China Trees of Thailand Trees of Vietnam Thai cuisine Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Asian vegetables Plants described in 1785 Fabales of Asia