Candle bush (Senna alata)

Ketepeng cina or emperor's candlesticks or candlebush or Cassia alata (Senna alata) are erect shrubs, important medicinal trees and ornamental flowering plants in Caesalpinioideae. This extraordinary plant grows to an altitude of 1,200 meters and can be found in various habitats, but is generally fertile on wet soil.

S. alata is a shrub that stands 3-4 meters tall with a leaf length of 50-80 cm. The stem has brown skin, young stems are dark green, the leaves are dark green and inflorescence looks like a yellow candle container. This species grows easily from seeds distributed by water or animals.

The fruit is straight, up to 25 cm long and dark green. Pods containing 50-60 seeds, almost straight, dark brown or almost black, about 15 centimeters long and 15 millimeters wide. On both sides of the pod are wings that stretch along the path.

Ketepeng cina is often called ringworm because it is very effective in expelling worms and treating fungal infections of the skin. The leaves are pounded and mixed with a number of vegetable oils to rub on the site for two or three times a day. Active ingredients include yellow chrysophanic acid and anthraquinone.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae
Tribe: Cassieae
Subtribe: Cassiinae
Genus: Senna
Species: Senna alata

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