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Senna occidentalis

(L.) Link (1831)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae Genus: Senna

coffee senna, miki palaoa (Ni‘ihau via St. John)

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Foetid annual or perennial herbs 4–15 dm tall, sometimes woody toward base.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound. Alternate. Leaflets (3)4–5(6) pairs, opposite, the distal ones larger, broadly lanceolate to ovate, 4.5–10 cm long, 1.4–3.8 cm wide. Leaflet apices acuminate. Leaflet bases obliquely rounded. Upper leaflet surfaces glabrous to sparsely coarsely puberulent. Leaflet margins antrorsely ciliate. Petiolate; petiolar nectaries sessile, contiguous to the pulvinus, reddish when fresh, wrinkled when dry, 0.7–1.8 mm long, sometimes a second one adjacent. Stipules deltate to lanceolate, 3–13 mm long, caducous.

Flowers: Flowers in short racemes up to ca. 1 cm long. Flowers caesalpinaceous. Pedicels 8–17(–21) mm long, bracts lanceolate to oblanceolate, 5–18 mm long; bracteoles absent. Calyx lobes pale or pinkish–tinged, submembranous, obovate or oblong–obovate, the outer one 5–7.5 mm long, the longest inner one 6.5–10 mm long, lobes 5, imbricate. Corolla of 5 petals, yellow, subequal, the standard usually obcordate, the 2 lateral petals obovate, the others oblanceolate, 12–17 mm long. Staminodes 3, 0.7–12 mm wide; filaments of 4 median Stamens 2–3.3 mm long, those of 2 abaxial Stamens dilated, 5–7 mm long, that of sterile abaxial central stamen 3–4 mm long, straight, shorter than to not more than twice as long as the anthers; fertile anthers, basifixed, usually modified into sets of 4 median and abaxial anthers. Ovary superior.

Fruit: Pods erect or ascending; coriaceous; linear; compressed; slightly curved or straight; 8–13.5 cm long; 0.65–0.95 cm wide; margins of valves green when young; becoming straw–colored; body reddish green; becoming brown; dehiscent; the cavity with membranous interseminal septa. Seeds dull olive to grayish olive; compressed–obovoid to compressed–suborbicular; 3.1–5.1 mm long; nearly smooth; the waxy exterior coat crackled with age; the faces with an areole ca. 2.5 mm long; ca. 1.5 mm wide.

Ploidy: 2n = 26; 28

Habitat: naturalized primarily in dry; disturbed habitats such as pastures; pineapple or cane field.

Elevation Range: 0–1,310 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

  • Yes

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Naturalized
Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Notes

  • 0-1310 m
  • Description digitized by Alyssa Larson
  • Description digitized from the Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii
  • native to the old world, first introduced to Hawaii in 1860
  • used medicinally and as a coffee substitute, used to great ring worm

Bibliography

Name Published In: Handbuch 2: 140 (1831)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:700 (Ni, K, O, EM, H); Oppenheimer et al. 1999:8 (WM); Oppenheimer 2003:14 (Mo); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:183 (Le)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Senna occidentalis Kanaio, along the higwqay to Kaupo Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2603 Maui BISH 1986-07-14
2 Senna occidentalis East Maui, Kipahulu Preserved_Specimen Handy, E.S. 34.3 Maui BISH 1934-06-01
3 Senna occidentalis Kaawaloa Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. Hawaii BISH 1985-09-05
4 Senna occidentalis Kipahulu Preserved_Specimen Handy, E.S. 34.4 Maui BISH 1934-06-01
5 Senna occidentalis Oahu Preserved_Specimen Wilder, G.P. Oahu BISH 1923-12-07
6 Senna occidentalis Foot of plateau, SE corner Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-01-01
7 Senna occidentalis Waimanalo Preserved_Specimen Livermore, K. Oahu BISH 1933-06-01
8 Senna occidentalis Kaimuki roadside Preserved_Specimen Fosberg, F.R. 8852 Oahu BISH 1932-09-24
9 Senna occidentalis Makaleha Valley Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. Oahu BISH 1918-01-01
10 Senna occidentalis Bingham Tract Preserved_Specimen Forbes, A. Oahu BISH 1930-10-01
11 Senna occidentalis unknown Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 756 BISH 1864-01-01
12 Senna occidentalis unknown Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH 1908-11-14
13 Senna occidentalis unknown Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. BISH
14 Senna occidentalis Niu Valley, right fork Preserved_Specimen Garber, D.W. 466 Oahu BISH 1920-06-29
15 Senna occidentalis Manoa Valley, Honolulu garden Preserved_Specimen weed Degener, O. 7293 Oahu BISH 1929-01-01
16 Senna occidentalis Kiolakaa-Keaa Homesteads Addition, Kau Forest Reserve, Kau District. (T-KiI) Growing in open Metrosideros forest with understory of Cibotium glaucum, Sadleria and small native trees. Preserved_Specimen Small tree or shrub, 6' tall. Flowers yellow, fruit dark brown. Cuddihy, L.W. 531 Hawaii BISH 1980-08-14
17 Senna occidentalis Lehua, outer crescent In gulch E of camp. Cenchrus ciliaris-Setaria verticillata-Portulaca oleracea-Jacquemontia ovalifolia association. W. Pluchea indica, P. carolinensis, and Ageratum conyzoides, Chenopodium murale, Waltheria indica, Cenchrus echinatus, and Chloris virgata Preserved_Specimen 1.75 cm tall, with fruit, single colony Wood, K.R. 13712 Lehua Rock BISH 2009-05-02
18 Senna occidentalis Honolulu, BYU-HC farm kaolite clay Preserved_Specimen loosely spreading, to 2.5' high Betham, R.F. 5 Oahu BISH 1980-10-12
19 Senna occidentalis Waipio deserted pineapple field Preserved_Specimen Short-lived shrub of ~4', with yellow flowers, brown fruits with gray seeds; rachis and mid-rib of young leaves frequently red. Herbst, D.R. 697 Oahu BISH 1967-11-09
20 Senna occidentalis Below Puu Kapu dry ridge Preserved_Specimen Christophersen, E. 1556 Oahu BISH 1931-02-12
21 Senna occidentalis Lehua, outer crescent In gulch E of camp. Cenchrus ciliaris-Setaria verticillata-Portulaca oleracea-Jacquemontia ovalifolia association. W. Pluchea indica, P. carolinensis, and Ageratum conyzoides, Chenopodium murale, Waltheria indica, Cenchrus echinatus, and Chloris virgata Preserved_Specimen 1.75 cm tall, with fruit, single colony Wood, K.R. 13712 Lehua Rock BISH 2009-05-02
22 Senna occidentalis Kalaupapa; Waihanau, old rock quarry mixed open non-native scrub Preserved_Specimen 0.5 m shrub; yellow flower with 7 fertile stamins Wysong, M.L. 802 Molokai BISH 2005-10-12
23 Senna occidentalis Kaalualu Bay near South Point pasture areas north of the bay Preserved_Specimen shrub about .5m high with yellow flowers Whistler, W.A. 78 Hawaii BISH 1972-04-06
24 Senna occidentalis East Maui, Hana District, Hana, SE of Kauiki from Kaihalulu Bay to Ka Iwi O Pele coastal pasture Preserved_Specimen Shrubby to 4'. Petals orange-yellow, calyx pale green with reddish-brown mottling along veins. Petiole reddish-brown on upper side Flynn, T.W. 2550 Maui BISH 1987-10-22
25 Senna occidentalis W Niu dry kiave pasture Preserved_Specimen Egler, F.E. 37247 Oahu BISH 1937-05-01
26 Senna occidentalis Kiolakaa-Keaa Homesteads Addition, Kau Forest Reserve, Kau District. (T-KiI) Growing in open Metrosideros forest with understory of Cibotium glaucum, Sadleria and small native trees. Preserved_Specimen Small tree or shrub, 6' tall. Flowers yellow, fruit dark brown. Cuddihy, L.W. 531 Hawaii BISH 1980-08-14
27 Senna occidentalis North Kona District:west flank of Haulalai, east of Honokohau on Koloko Drive Forest margin, 880m Preserved_Specimen Shrub, 3m; corolla yellow Lammers, T.G. 5442 Hawaii BISH 1983-08-05
28 Senna occidentalis South Kona District, road to Hookena Beach disturbed roadside in Leucaena/Pithecellobium shrubland Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5937 Hawaii BISH 1988-03-10
29 Senna occidentalis Kealakekua Ranch, near Honaunau Forest Growing beside jeep trail in disturbed Metrosideros forest. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 7' tall. No flowers. Pods dark brown. Cuddihy, L.W. 302 Hawaii BISH 1980-04-02
30 Senna occidentalis Nawaimaka stream, growing along stream banks associated plants: Metrosideros, Cardamine flexuosa, Lantana, Rubus argutis, Cyanea leptostegia, Pittosproum kauaiensis, Corynocarpus lavigatus, Poa, Dicranopteris, Hedyotis knudsenii, H. terminalis Preserved_Specimen small trees up to 6 ft. stems hallow and make hands itch. lvs. even pinnate 3-4 pairs, dull green below, med green above. Calyx yellow-green, corolla dark yellow, stigma green, styles dk. yellow, 7 short wide staminodes. fruits brown Tangalin, N. 415 Kauai BISH 2005-07-30
31 Senna occidentalis Numila, south of Kalaheo. Common in coffee fields. Preserved_Specimen Subshrub, less tha 0.5m tall; stems brown and leaves glossy green; flowers bright yellow; fruits erect, becoming purplish brown with maturity. Brock, K. 941 Kauai BISH 2016-12-02
32 Senna occidentalis Waimanalo, Sharon's Plants Nursery Weed around the nursery Preserved_Specimen Large patch of ca. 30 plants, to 1.5 m tall, flowers bright yellow, apparently with 6 developed and two undeveloped stamens, the lowest two much larger than the rest, 4 of equal size, and two upper stamens appearing aborted Faccenda, K. 2560 Oahu BISH 2022-08-02
33 Senna occidentalis Laie, BYU-HC sewer plant clayish Preserved_Specimen diffuse undershrub; compound leaves 6 long, even pinnate. Sepals 5; thin, 0.5 long; petals 5, 0.5 to 0.75 long, yellow; pods 4-5 long Tiu, C. 11 Oahu BISH 1975-03-03
34 Senna occidentalis At Waiakalua Reservoir In abandoned pastureland. Preserved_Specimen Corn, C. 827 Kauai BISH 1982-04-30
35 Senna occidentalis Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Kipuka at the head of the trail towards Pohaku Paea from the midstop along Makena-Keoneoio road Pockets of vegetation in a'a lava and at roadside; along roadside and amongst lava. Preserved_Specimen Fruit and a few yellow flowers. Abbott, I.A. 91.42 Maui BISH 1991-03-06
36 Senna occidentalis 16.6 mi E of Ulupalakua Ranch on Piilani Hwy. (Hwy. 31), 3.7 mi E of Manawainui rocky dry stream bed dominated by Prosopis pallida, Leucaena leucocephala Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 4745 Maui BISH 1983-01-14
37 Senna occidentalis W Maui, Lahaina District, at N rim of Honokowai Valley In pineapple field, growing along dirt roadside. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 89803 Maui BISH 1998-08-05
38 Senna occidentalis Kipapa Gulch, Waipio moderately moist pineapple field Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 459 Oahu BISH 1931-06-30
39 Senna occidentalis Kealakekua Ranch near Honaunau Forest Growing beside jeep trail in disturbed Metrosideros forest. Preserved_Specimen Small tree 7' tall. No Flowers. Pods dark brown. Cuddihy, L.W. 302 Hawaii BISH 1980-04-02
40 Senna occidentalis Apua In dry, rocky Pali slope Preserved_Specimen Flowers yellow Fagerlund, G.O. 1212 Hawaii BISH 1945-11-19
41 Senna occidentalis South Kona District, road to Hookena Beach disturbed roadside in Leucaena/Pithecellobium shrubland Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5937 Hawaii BISH 1988-03-10
42 Senna occidentalis Niu open pastures, roadside Preserved_Specimen Erect bush to 3'. Flowers yellow; fruit pod Wilder, G.P. 64 Oahu BISH 1923-11-12
43 Senna occidentalis East Maui, Hana District, Auwahi Preserved_Specimen shrub 1.5 m, flowers yellow Webster, G.L. 13913 Maui BISH 1968-06-25
44 Senna occidentalis Lihue District; Timber Kauai Ocean Club & Residences at Hokuala; large triangle area bordered by Ninini Point Road and runways beyond. Area has Timbers nursery and green waste in opposite corners with a dirt road b Lowland nonnative shrubland w/ Emilia fosbergii, Crotalaria incana, Chamaecrista nictitans, nonnative Sida, Macroptilium Heliotropium procumbens, Ricinus communis, Cascabela thevetia, Lantana, Rivina humilis, Leucaena leucocepha Preserved_Specimen Up to 3.5 ft tall; Immature pods with purple stripe down center mature pods brown and make a rattle sound. Flowers yellow mostly partially open and leaves with impressed veins, with white mold below. Tangalin, N. 5151 Kauai BISH 2021-03-31
45 Senna occidentalis Lawai Valley, P.T.B.G Preserved_Specimen Herb or sub-shrub with yellow flowers Herbst, D.R. 2278 Kauai BISH 1971-12-30
46 Senna occidentalis Ewa Plains Prosopis, Leucaena, Cynodon, Setaria Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 8186 Oahu BISH 1979-02-11
47 Senna occidentalis Waimea Arboretum full sun Preserved_Specimen Single-stemmed shrubs 0.5-1.0 m tall Lau, J. 2790 Oahu BISH 1986-08-02
48 Senna occidentalis Near Manawainui Bridge On roadside. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 110130 Molokai BISH 2001-11-18
49 Senna occidentalis Lihue roadsides Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. Kauai BISH 1916-10-04
50 Senna occidentalis W Maui, Lahaina District, Alaeloa, N of Kaopala Stream In an open field N of stream. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 79805 Maui BISH 1998-07-15
51 Senna occidentalis Manoa Valley pasture Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 9 Oahu BISH 1922-09-24
52 Senna occidentalis unknown Preserved_Specimen BISH
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