About Senna armata (S.Watson) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
Taxonomy and Common Names
Senna armata is a species of flowering plant in the legume family. It has two common names: spiny senna and desert senna.
Native Range
This plant is native to desert regions around the intersection of Nevada, Arizona, eastern California, and northern Baja California.
Habitat
It grows in sandy and rocky habitats such as arroyos.
Growth Form and Size
It is a shrub that can grow up to one meter tall.
Stem Characteristics
It has grooved, branching stems that often narrow into thorns at their tips. The spiny branches are covered in tubular hairs that help protect the plant from hot desert air.
Leaf Structure
Its spine-tipped leaves are each composed of two to four pairs of small leaflets. Leaves of this species are ephemeral, dropping off shortly after emerging, so the shrub is bare for most of the year.
Flower Arrangement
Flowers grow singly or in small clusters in leaf axils.
Flower Appearance
They are fragrant and showy, with five petals in shades ranging from yellow to salmon pink. Each flower measures roughly one centimeter long.
Fruit Characteristics
The fruit produced by Senna armata is a legume pod that can reach up to four centimeters in length.
