Scientific Name
Cassia obtusifolia (Senna obtusifolia)
Common Name
Sicklepod

TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.

Characteristics

Family
Fabaceae
Plant Description
Branched, annual herb; leaves alternate, pinnately divided, without a conspicuous gland at the base of the leaf stalk; leaflets of 3 pairs; stipules usually not persistent and not conspicuously striated; flowers yellow, 5-parted; fruit long, slender, 4-angled.
Origin
USA, NC
Distribution
Piedmont, Coastal Plain
Where Found
Forest or natural area in open woods, weedy in disturbed areas, fields.
Mode
Ingestion.
Poisonous Part
Seeds.
Symptoms
Diarrhea, tremors, dark brown urine.
Edibility
EDIBLE PARTS: Young shoots. Roasted seeds have been used as a substitute for coffee. HARVEST TIME: Only collect plants from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. Gather the young shoots in July or early August. SAFE FOOD PROCEDURES: Soak young shoots in warm water to remove dirt and debris. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. The shoots have an unpleasant odor in its raw state but this disappears after cooking. Boil in salted water for five minutes, pour off this first water and add fresh boiling and salted water. Boil for another eight minutes. Serve as a vegetable. SOURCE: Crowhurst, A. 1972. The Weed Cookbook. Lancer Books, Inc. New York, 190 pp.
Toxic Principle
Anthraquinones, emodin glycosides, toxalbumins, alkaloids.
Severity
TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN.

"Poisonous Plants of North Carolina," Dr. Alice B. Russell, Department of Horticultural Science; Dr. James W. Hardin, Botany; Dr. Larry Grand, Plant Pathology; and Dr. Angela Fraser, Family and Consumer Sciences; North Carolina State University. All Pictures Copyright @1997Alice B. Russell, James W. Hardin, Larry Grand. Computer programming, Miguel A. Buendia; graphics, Brad Capel.

Disclaimer: The list of poisonous plants on this web site does not necessarily include every poisonous plant that is known, or that might be found in an urban landscape or home. North Carolina State University does not advise eating any of the plants included in this web site. The information concerning edibility is taken from the literature, and the degree of reliability is unknown. We discourage the use of any of these plants for self medication. In cases of accidental exposure or ingestion, contact the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222.

Previous Species, Home, Next Species