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Tropical Sensitive Pea
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Tropical Sensitive Pea
ative Photo: J. M. Garg
Common name: Tropical Sensitive Pea, Four-leaved senna, Black grain, Pig's senna • Bengali: Chaksi, Benar • Hindi: Banar, Bankultthi, Chaksi • Kannada: Adavihuli, Kaadu huliga, Kannu kutukana beeja • Malayalam: Karin-kolla • Marathi: Chamada, Kankuti • Sanskrit: चक्षुष्या Chakshushya, Arangakulitthika, Aranyakulattha, Aranyakulatthika • Tamil: Edikkol, Karunganam, Kattukkol • Telugu: Chanupala-vittulu • Urdu: Chaksu ﭼﺎﻛﺴﻮ
Botanical name: Chamaecrista absus    Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family)
Synonyms: Cassia absus, Senna absus, Grimaldia absus

Tropical Sensitive Pea is a glandular-hairy annual herb, growing up to 60 cm tall. Leaf stalks are up to 4 cm, without a gland. Leaves are compound with 2 pairs of opposite leaflets with a gland on the main rib between each pair. Flowers are borne at the end of branches. Petals are 5-6 mm, yellow, orange, salmon or pinkish-red with reddish-brown veins. Stamens are 5, nearly equal, filaments straight. Pods are 3-6 cm long, flat. Tropical Sensitive Pea is found in disturbed grassland or open woodland, also on roadsides, and former cultivated areas.
Medicinal uses: In many parts of Africa and Asia the powdered seeds or seed extracts are sprinkled on the eye to treat eye diseases such as conjunctivitis and cataracts. The powdered seeds are also taken to treat diabetes and chlorosis.

Identification credit: N. S. Dungriyal Photographed in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

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