Leguminosae-caes Senna alata (L.) Roxb.

| |	© W.D. Hawthorne

Other images of the same specimen :

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

Keywords in this picture :

• Foliage
• Flower
• Vegetative
• Inflorescence
• Flower & fruit
• Plant parts

Places where this species can be found :

• Beausejour Bay - GRENADA
• The Bocas - GRENADA

Species information

Interest
This is a very widespread species ,The juice of the fresh leaf is widely used to relieve parasitic skin diseases, by rubbing crushed leaves alone or mixed with lime juice or an oil. A lotion made from leaf, flower and bark can also cure ringworm, or "dhobie itch", and hence is widely called craw-craw or ringworm bush. The leaves contain Contain chrysophanic acid, the drug commonly used for dhobie itch. The dried leaves have been widely used at various stengths as purgatives or abortefacients. Juice from roots is put into cuts for tattoos and tribal markings in West Africa . In some parts of Africa local names mean childrens plantain, due to supposed similarity of the fruits to small plantains (Dalziel, 1948). Boil three leaves in two cups of water for ten minutes, allow to cool drink tea to purge the digestive system of worms and to cleanse the blood of lota.

Specimen information

Collector
W.D. Hawthorne, D.Jules

Specimen Number
933

Location
Small valley onb ridge at back of St. Georges. Swamp with Andira and this Senna.

Notes
Trees to c. 8m, stem 20cm DBH. Large brown, ear-lik stipules. Marginal nerve of leaflet brown.

Coordinates
Latitude: 12.020000 N   Longitude: 61.440000 W   Altitude: 100