Fabaceae

Senna tora

Common Names: A sicklypod

Plant Form: Annual or biennial upright shrub. Size: Up to 1.5 m tall. Stem: Branching, hairless or sparsely hairy. Leaves: Oppositely arranged along stem, on long stalks 2-5 cm long. With 2-4 pairs of broad egg-shaped leaflets 1-4 cm long with rounded tips. With a small gland between the bottom 2 pairs. Strong unpleasant smell. Flowers: Bright yellow with 5 petals. In pairs in the leaf forks. Fruit and Seeds: Slender, sickle-shaped pods, 12-25 cm long which is almost circular in cross section. Mostly hairless and green becoming brownish-green as they mature. Contain numerous olive-brown seeds. Habitat: Waste areas, riparian areas, roadisdes, pastures, cropping land. Distinguishing Features: There are many similar Sennas (Senna species). The best distinguishing characteristic is the strong unpleasant smell. Also the rounded leaf ends can help narrow it down.