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''Senna artemisioides'', the wormwood senna, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family . It is endemic to
''Senna artemisioides'', the wormwood senna, is a species of flowering plant in the pea family . It is endemic to Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, where it is found in all mainland states and territories. Other common names include silver senna, silver cassia or feathery cassia - although "cassia" generally refers to the largest-growing Cassiinae. Some of its distinct subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
also have common names of their own.
The Latin specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
''artemisioides'' means “resembling '' Artemisia''”, a different group of plants often known as wormwood.
Description
This is an evergreen shrub that grows up to in height. It has grey-green pinnate leaves with between 1 and 8 pairs of leaflets. It produces an abundance of yellow “pea” flowers in winter and spring which are about 1.5 cm in diameter, followed by 2 to 7 cm long flat green pods which age to dark brown. The species adapts to a wide range of climatic conditions, but is susceptible to frost, especially when young. It prefers dry, well-drained sites with full sun. As an ornamental plant, it is propagated readily from seed, which should first be briefly immersed in boiling water. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
Taxonomy and systematics
The species was first described in 1825 by Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré based on work by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle and placed in '' Cassia'', but nowadays it has been moved to '' Senna''. However, for a long time this plant was erroneously known as ''Cassia eremophila
Cassia typically refers to cassia bark, the spice made from the bark of East Asian evergreen trees.
Cassia may also refer to:
Plants
;Cinnamon trees
* '' Cinnamomum cassia'' (, ''ròuguì''), the cassia or Chinese cinnamon, found in southern Ch ...
'' which is a true species of ''Cassia'' called desert cassia
A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one ...
, described by Julius Rudolph Theodor Vogel.
A large number of formerly independent species are provisionally considered subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of ''S. artemisioides'':
* ssp. ''alicia'' Randell
* ssp. ''artemisioides''
* ssp. ''filifolia'' Randell
* ssp. ''helmsii'' (Symon) Randell – blunt-leaved cassia
* ssp. ''oligophylla'' (F.Muell.) Randell – blunt-leaved cassia
* ssp. ''petiolaris'' Randell woody cassia
* ssp. ''quadrifolia'' Randell
:(''Senna quadrifolia'' Burm. is a synonym of ''Chamaecrista absus
''Chamaecrista absus'' (syn. ''Cassia absus''), the pig's senna or tropical sensitive pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae
The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,hybridogenic subspecies have also been named:
* nothosubsp. × ''artemisioides''
* ssp. × ''coriacea'' (Benth.) Randell
* nothosubsp. × ''coriacea'' (Benth.) Randell
:(''Cassia coriacea'' Benth. is a synonym of ''
Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP): ''Senna artemisioides''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q151074 artemisioides Endemic flora of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Rosids of Western Australia Fabales of Australia Garden plants of Australia Drought-tolerant plants
Chamaecrista coriacea
''Chamaecrista'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Members of the genus are commonly known as sensitive pea. Several species are capable of rapid plant movement. Unlike the related genera '' ...
'')
* nothosubsp. × ''sturtii'' (R.Br.) Randell
In addition, there are apparently at least 2 undescribed taxa:
* ''Senna artemisioides'' " James Range (P.L.Latz 18528)"
* ''Senna artemisioides'' " Kuyunba (B.Pitts 113)"
Altogether, ''S. artemisioides'' might be best considered a form taxon whose phylogenetic diversity is still largely unresolved.
References
Further reading
* *Association of Societies for Growing Australian Plants (ASGAP): ''Senna artemisioides''
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q151074 artemisioides Endemic flora of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Rosids of Western Australia Fabales of Australia Garden plants of Australia Drought-tolerant plants