Chamaecrista cathartica
(Mart.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
Fabaceae
Cassia cathartica Mart.
Chamaecrista adenophora (Harms) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
Common Name:
General Information
Chamaecrista cathartica is a perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
S. America - eastern Brazil (Paraná to Bahia)
Habitat
Savannah, grassland and open, dry woodland at medium to higher elevations.
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Shrub |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Pollinators | Insects |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant is used as a laxative (part not specified)[
739- Title
- Medicinal Plants of Brazil
- Publication
-
- Author
- Mors W.B.; Rizzini C.T.; Pereira N.A.
- Publisher
- Reference Publications; Michigan.
- Year
- 2000
- ISBN
- 0-917256-42-5
- Description
- An extremely concise book, listing approximately 1,500 species and varieties of plants with their botanical name, common name in Brazil, regions in Brazil where the plant is found, a brief list of uses and any medically active compounds in the plant.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
