Senna lactea
(Vatke) Du Puy
Fabaceae
Common Name:
General Information
Senna lactea is a deciduous tree; it can grow up to 30 metres tall. The bole can be up to 150cm in diameter[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
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- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is grown to provide shade in coffee plantations.
Although Senna lactea has a comparatively small area of distribution, it has not been reported to be endangered. It has been recorded as locally common as an adventive in degraded vegetation and thus may survive in areas subject to forest degradation caused by human intervention[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
Range
Africa - northern Madagascar.
Habitat
Humid evergreen forest from sea-level up to 1,600 metres, often along rivers, but it can also be found in degraded vegetation[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Properties
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Deciduous Tree |
Height | 15.00 m |
Cultivation Status | Cultivated, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
None known
Agroforestry Uses:
Senna lactea is planted as a shade tree in coffee plantations[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Other Uses
The yellowish wood is strong. It is used for furniture[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The wood is used for fuel and for charcoal production[
299- Title
- Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.prota.org
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
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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