မယ်ဇလီ

Myanmar Name –  Mezali

Common Name – Cassia tree, Kassod tree, Cassod tree

Botanical Name – Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby

Family Name – Fabaceae

Habitat – Native to countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In Myanmar, this tree species is found in different parts of the country, particularly in the tropical and subtropical regions

Habit – Medium-size, evergreen tree growing up to 18 m (60 ft)and DBH can range from 20 to 40 centimeters (8 to 16 inches)

Bark – Dark gray or brown and can be rough in texture.

Leaves – Alternate, pinnately compound, green, opposite, leaflets 6-14 in pairs with short stalk of 3mm, oblong, 4-7× 1.5-3 cm width, rounded at both ends, glabrous, primary vein 1 and secondary vein 6-8 pairs per leaf, petiole short. Inflorescence raceme, corymb, axillary peduncle, 2-4cm long

Inflorescence – Axillary raceme, which is a type of flower cluster and the inflorescence consists of many small, bright yellow flowers.

Flower – Hermaphrodite, complete, bright yellow 2-3 cm across, sub persistent bract, pedicel 1-2cm long, pentamerous, sepals 5, unequal, imbricate, obtuse at apex, yellowish green, 0.4-0.5 × 0.2-0.3 cm, pubescent, ovate, concave, hairy on outside, connate at the base, petals 5, bright yellow, dark colour vein, sub equal, obtuse, orbicular, upper petal shortly clawed, 0.5- 1 × 0.3-0.5 cm. Androecium stamen 10, unequal, 3 reduced to staminoids, 2-4 mm long; 7 fertile, 3 larger, 0.8-1 cm long filament, 6-7mm long anthers, 4 lateral stamen, 0.5-0.8 cm long filament, 4-5 mm anther, yellowish green filament, brownish yellow anther, anther basifixed, filament straight. Gynoecium carpel, monocarpellary, style green 0.8-1.2 cm long, stigma greenish brown.

Fruit – Pods numerous, long, narrow, 5-25 × 10-12 mm, flat dark, brown, strap shaped, stipitate, terete to compressed, dehiscent, with septae between the numerous seeds

Seed – Bean shaped, shiny, dark.

Flowering and Fruiting Time – Flowering in March—May and Fruiting in March—May.

Usage – used for the treatment of typhoid fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, menstrual pain and is also used to reduce sugar level in the blood.