Common Name: Tanner’s cassia. Tamil Name: Avaram
Tanner’s cassia is a shrub native to the Indian sub-continent and grows to a height of about 2 meters. This shrub is commonly found around dry forest zones of Western Ghats. The leaves are pinnate and arranged in an alternate manner. The leaf base has a conspicuous auricle shaped stipule. Around 8-10 leaflets are arranged in an opposite manner. The leaflet measure around 2.1 cm and 1.6 cm across; The leaflets are elliptical in shape with around bottom and apex; the leaflet tip is mucronate. The inflorescence is in the form of a flat raceme. The flower stalk measure around 1.6 cm; flowers are fragrant and has five yellow colored petals. The flower measurers around 4.5 cm across. The petals are obovate in shape and measure around 2.5 cm each. The flower consists of 7 stamens and 3 staminode. The fruit is in the form of a flat legume, papery, oblong in shape and crumpled. The pod encloses around 10-12 seeds. Tanner’s cassia can be planted in road sides and house gardens as an ornamental native shrub. The plant has several medicinal application. The petals are collected to make a infusion resembling Tea. Tanners’s cassia is the larval host plant for Mottled emigrant butterfly.
