Common name: Wooly cassia, Hairy senna. Tamil Name: Malaiyavarai
Wooly cassia is native to South America, it is a sub-shrub that grows to around 2 feet in height. It has been naturalized in India, often seen on road-sides and fallow lands in hilly areas of Western Ghats. Generally prefers the mid-altitude areas- between 700 MSL to 1400 MSL. The stem of the plant is green in color; young branches appear to be rectangular in shape. The entire plant is covered with white hairs (hirsute). The single pinnate leaves are arranged in an alternate manner; each consists of five pairs of near sessile leaflets. The leaflets are hairy and have a silky feel. The leaf petiole has a prominent gland near the base. The leaflets margins are entire (but ciliate); ovate in shape; the leaflets base is rounded and the apex acuminate. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal or axillary raceme. The young buds are compactly arranged in an inverted manner, they are fully covered with white hairs-giving the inflorescence a silvery look. The flower has five yellow clawed distinct petals which are obovate in shape, each measure around 1.4 cm in length, the flower stalk measure around 1.3 cm; the flower across measurers 3 cm. At the base of the flower five greenish-yellow calyx elements are seen. They are unequal in size and boat shaped. The flower encloses 10 stamens, some of them are staminode. The fruit is in the form of a white hairy pod. They are cylindrical in shape and curved. The pod contains several seeds which are brown in color.
