Senna mexicana var. chapmanii
Chapman's Senna
- Family: Fabaceae
- Form: Multistemmed, evergreen shrub, grows either upright to 8 ft. or prostrate with the width being greater than the height
- Leaves: Even pinnately compound entire leaves around 2 in. long, some with a red gland near the base of the petiole. The elliptic to lanceolate leaflets have an acute apex, often an oblique base, and are in pairs, with up to 10 leaflets per leaf
- Stem/Bark: Smooth dark brown bark
- Flower: Abundant, yellow 1 in. diameter bisexual flowers are rotate with 5 petals and 2 prominent stamens. Flowers occur in showy axillary clusters of 4 to 9 blooms
- Fruit: Elongated legumes in clusters of hard brown 3 in. flat pods are conspicuous and hold numerous seeds
- Comments: Senna mexicana v. chapmanii is very similar in appearance to S. ligustrina, another Florida native which is characterized by larger leaves composed of 12-22 pairs of leaflets
