Senna acclinis

Senna acclinis, the rainforest cassia or brush senna,[2] is a flowering plant belonging to the Senna genus. The plant grows natively in New South Wales and Queensland in limited areas, where it has been classed as an endangered species.

Senna acclinis
Seeds and pod
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Senna
Species:
S. acclinis
Binomial name
Senna acclinis
(F. Muell.) Randell
Synonyms

Cassia acclinis[1]

Distribution and habitat

Senna acclinis is only endemic and is restricted to only the eastern coastlines of New South Wales and into Queensland.[3] They grow in or on the edges of subtropical and dry rainforests.[4] The plant is distributed in several subregions, including Barrington, Karuah Manning, Mummel Escarpment, Wyong, and Yengro.[5]

The species has been classed as endangered[4] by the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act.[6][7] The main threats to S. acclinis are clearance of habitat for development, introduced and invasive species of weeds, timber harvesting activities, and accidental removal during weed-control programs.[4][8]

Description

Senna acclinis, a shrub, can grow to a maximum height of 3 m (10 ft) tall. Leaves are usually 15 cm long, each with as many as six pairs of oval-shaped leaflets around 15 mm in length along the central spine.[4][9] A gland occurs between the lower one to four pair of leaflets. Flowers on the shrub are golden-yellow coloured, in groups of two to five flowers on a stalk. Seed pods are long and narrow, usually 12–15 cm in length, and 6–8 mm wide. S. acclinis can be mistakenly identified as other introduced Senna species, which are only environmental weeds.[4]

Ecology

Senna acclinis is known to be a pollination plant for several insect species, including native bees[10] and the jack-jumper ant Myrmecia nigrocincta, which has been recorded several times visiting the flowers of S. acclinis.[11] Flowers sprout during springs and summer.[9]

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References
  1. GRIN Species Records of Senna. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).
  2. "Senna Acclins". Port Macquarie Landcare Group Inc. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  3. Harden, G.J. (ed.) (2002) Flora of New South Wales. Volume 2, Revised Edition. UNSW, Sydney.
  4. "Rainforest Cassia - profile". www.environment.nsw.gov.au/. NSW Government - Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  5. "Rainforest Cassia - Hunter-Central Rivers: Distribution and vegetation associations". www.environment.nsw.gov.au/. NSW Government - Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  6. Briggs, J. & Leigh, J. (1996) Rare or Threatened Australian Plants. CSIRO, Melbourne.
  7. "Senna acclinis - endangered species listing". NSW Government - Environment & Heritage. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  8. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Upper North Coast of NSW: Flora. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)
  9. "Senna acclinis (F.Muell.) Randell". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/. PlanetNET. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  10. Williams, Geoff. "Bee pollination in the threatened Australian shrub Senna acclinis (Caesalpinioideae)" (PDF). www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/. The Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  11. Williams, Geoff; Adam, Paul (2010). The flowering of Australia's rainforests : a plant and pollination miscellany. Collingwood, Vic.: CSIRO Publishing. p. 139. ISBN 0643097619. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
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