Shrub or small tree up to 15(–20) m tall; bole short, twisted; bark fissured, grey to brown, with blackish stripes; young branches densely shortly hairy. Leaves arranged spirally, paripinnately compound with 5–14 pairs of leaflets; stipules narrowly triangular, c. 2 mm long, caducous; leaflets elliptical to ovate, 3.5–10 cm × 2–5 cm, apex rounded to acute, shortly hairy. Inflorescence an axillary pendulous raceme up to 35(–45) cm long; bracts soon falling. Flowers bisexual, slightly zygomorphic, 5-merous; sepals elliptical, 5–8 mm long, slightly hairy; petals oblong to almost circular, 2–3.5 cm long, bright yellow; stamens 10, free, 3 lower ones fertile, hooked at base, much longer than the petals, 4 middle ones fertile, short, 3 upper ones rudimentary; ovary superior, sessile, style slender, much longer than the petals. Fruit a, cylindrical pod 40–60(–90) cm × c. 1.5 cm, transversely partitioned, dehiscent by 2 valves, black, many-seeded with seeds embedded in yellow pulp. Seeds ellipsoid, 8–9 mm long, rusty to dark brown, glabrous.

Purgative and diuretic (whole plant); aphrodisiac, diuretic, laxative (roots); diuretic and antipyretic (leaves); anthelminthic (fruits); laxative (yellow pulp around the seeds and an infusion of the pods)

PROTAbase: Cassia sieberiana

An infusion of the entire plant is given against all children’s diseases. A powder of different plant parts is applied to teeth to cure toothache; when mixed with butter it is used to treat skin diseases. The stems are used to treat malaria, childhood diseases, fever, weakness and kwashiorkor. A steam bath of leafy twigs boiled in water is prescribed to help against malaria attacks and fever; the liquid should also be drunk. An infusion of the leaves sweetened with honey is taken against stomach-ache, ulcers and diarrhea. Boiled and squeezed fresh leaves are applied as poultice in pleurisy or burns. Gonorrhoea in women is treated by taking leaf powder with food. The twigs are used to treat sleeping sickness. The roots, boiled in water, are used to treat haemorrhoids, bilharzia, leprosy, yellow fever, chicken pox, elephantiasis, wet dermatitis, jaundice, intestinal hernia, ascites, dropsy and bloody dysentery. The decoction is taken in large doses to treat intestinal worms including tapeworms, although this is risky. An infusion of the root bark is employed against venereal diseases, female sterility and dysmenorrhoea. After soaking the roots in water, the liquid is used for a bath against tiredness and for body massage. A pinch of powdered dried decorticated roots taken at the end of each meal is said to prevent malaria. Crushed roots are rubbed on the temples to treat headache. Debarked roots are boiled with bark of Terminalia macroptera Guill. & Perr. to combat eczema. Capsules made from the root bark are prescribed against Aids. Diarrhea, dysentery and vomiting are treated by a decoction of bark, leaves or roots.

Michel Arbonnier. Trees, shrubs and lianas of West African dry zones - Translation of 2nd ed. of: Arbres, arbustes et lianas des zônes seches d'Afrique de l'Ouest., P: 214, Editions Quae. 2004