Cassia roxburghii, the red cassia, Roxburgh's cassia or Ceylon senna,[1] is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae.[2] The species is native to the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia. It ranges throughout South India and Sri Lanka.[3]
The Latin specific epithet roxburghii refers to the Scottish Botanist William Roxburgh.[4]
The red cassia is a medium-sized tree, growing to 15m–20mm (49feet–70feetm) tall with spreading, drooping branches. The leaves are clusters of pink, rose or orange flowers, 15cm–60cmcm (06inches–20inchescm) long, and pinnate with three to eight pairs of leaflets, each leaflet 7cm–21cmcm (03inches–08inchescm) long and 4cm–9cmcm (02inches–04inchescm) broad. The flowers are produced in pendulous racemes 20cm–40cmcm (10inches–20inchescm) long, each flower 4cm–7cmcm (02inches–03inchescm) diameter with red to pinkish petals. The fruit is a legume.