ABSTRACT
Christmas candle (Senna alata L.) is a shrub or tree in the Fabaceae family that is native to French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia (USDA 2009). The plant has become naturalized in tropical Africa, tropical Asia, Australia, Mexico, the West Indies, Melanesia, Polynesia, Florida, and Hawaii. Christmas candle is only one of several common names, including bajagua, bois darter, café-beirao, candlebush, candlestick senna, darters, empress-candleplant, fedegoso, fedegosao, fedegoso-gigante, fedegoso-grande, mangerioba-dopara, mangerioba-grande, mata-pasto, mocote, ringworm bush, ringworm shrub, seven-goldencandlesticks (USDA 2009), craw-craw plant, king of the forest, dartrier, casse ailee, plante des cros-cros, buisson de la gale, quatre epingles, Dartial, cortalinde, upupu wa mwitu (Bosch 2007), and candelabra plant. Christmas candle is cultivated in India for export to Japan; however, trade statistics are unavailable (Bosch 2007). Christmas candle was previously known as Cassia alata. During the early 1980s, species within the genus Cassia were separated into three new genera: Cassia, Chamaecrista, and Senna. Senna spp., including Christmas candle, consist of three short and straight adaxial stamens and pedicels without bracteoles, which are distinguishing characteristics separating it from Cassia or Chamaecrista spp. Christmas candle is primarily adapted to subtropical and tropical climates worldwide.
