• Source: Senna siamea

Senna siamea, also known as Siamese cassia, kassod tree, cassod tree and cassia tree, is a legume in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. It is native to South and Southeast Asia, although its exact origin is unknown.
It is a medium-size, evergreen tree growing up to 18 m (60 ft) with yellow flowers. It is often used as shade tree in cocoa, coffee and tea plantations. In Thailand it is the provincial tree of Chaiyaphum Province and some places in the country are named after it.
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.




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 where one of the most well-known preparations is kaeng khilek (Thai: แกงขี้เหล็ก).
In Burmese tradition, during the full moon day of Tazaungmon, 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 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


Burmese: မယ်ဇလီ, mezali
Thai: ขี้เหล็ก, khilek
Vietnamese: muồng đen
Lao: ຕົ້ນຂີ້ເຫຼັກ, ton khi heak
Twi: Nkyedua
Ewe: Zangara gbe
Kiswahili : mhoba
Assamese: Xunaroo




See also


Millettia laurentii
Millettia leucantha
Ormosia




References






External links



FAO - Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin & Barneby Archived 2017-07-08 at the Wayback Machine
Senna siamea in West African plants – A Photo Guide.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Johar
• Senna
• Jati tiongkok
• Buah
• Rumah Gadang Sangkak Karojan
• Kebun Raya Purwodadi
• Rumah adat Ngada
• Senna siamea
• Senna (plant)
• Barakol
• Ironwood
• Green photocatalyst
• Chinese furniture
• Campina Grande
• List of leaf vegetables
• List of Thai ingredients
• List of Thai dishes