Suffruticose, 20-120 cm tall, branches subterete, pubescent. Leaves 5-12.5 cm long, rachis densely hairy, eglandular, petioles 1.2-2 cm long, stipules c. 5-7 mm long, linear-lanceolate, very acute with a small auricle at the base, densely hairy; leaflets 5-8 pairs, 1.5-2.5 cm long, 7.5-13 mm wide, obovate, oblong, obtuse or retuse, mucronate, velvety pubescent on both surfaces, petio¬lules very short. Flowers in axillary racemes, pedicel very short. Calyx c. 9-10 mm long, divided to the base, segments oblong, obtuse, membranous. Petals c. 1.2-1.3 cm long, ovate, oblong, cuneate, shortly clawed, yellow, conspicuously reticulate with darker veins. Stamens 10, the upper 3 reduced to the small stami¬nodes, the remaining perfect, 2 or 3 lower are largest. Ovary densely hairy. Pods c. 2.5-3.8 cm long, 1.2-1.8 cm wide, flat, thin and papery, recurved, rounded at both the ends, velvety, pubescent, not longitudinally crested. Seeds 4-10, obovate to cuneate, c. 6-7 mm long, 3 mm wide, reticulate-rugose, flattened, glabrous, yellow.
Fl. Per.: All the year round.
Type: Abyssinia, Ruppell (FR-not seen).
Distribution: W. Pakistan (Sind; Lasbella); Arabia; Abyssinia; Tropical Trans¬vaal.
Leaves and fruits are used for the adulteration of Cassia senna.
