Senna armata (Spiny senna)

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Senna armata (S. Watson) Irwin & Barneby

Spiny senna, desert senna

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Senna	From the Arabic name Sana
Species	armata	Spiny or thorny, literally “armed”

About plant names...

Spiny senna is native to the North American southwest, a shrub with a dense tangle of sharp-tipped branches. They are leafless for most of the year, so when they aren’t flowering they look like someone gathered a heap of kindling and forgot about it. When they are flowering, it looks like someone lit it. They are found at elevations of 328-4593' (100-1400 m), in sandy or gravelly washes.

Plants: Shrubs up to 3' (1 m) in height. They are densely branched, and many of the branches terminate in sharp spines. Tiny tubular hairs reflect the sun’s heat.

Leaves: Leaves are on narrow branchlets, in 2-4 opposite pairs. Each leaflet is ⅛-³/₁₆" (4-6 mm) around, and ovate. Leaf pairs aren’t quite symmetric. Leaves are dropped entirely most of the time, in order to conserve water.

Flowers: Yellow, or salmon pink, occurring singly or in clusters in leaf axils. Each flower has five petals, and is ⅝-⅞" (1.6-2.4 cm) in diameter. Flower petals are not evenly distributed, so the flower has bilateral symmetry but not radial symmetry. Flowers appear from March to July.

Fruits: Pods are ⅞-1½" (2.5-4 cm) long, straight, and contain a few seeds.

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California

Here are some similar species:

	You are here Senna armata	*Encelia farinosa*
Common Name	spiny senna	brittlebush
Plant	Shrubs up to 3' (1 m) in height. They are densely branched, any many of the branches terminate in sharp spines.	Forms rounded bushes 12-59" (30-150 cm) high.
Flowers	Yellow, or salmon pink, occurring singly or in clusters in leaf axils. Each flower has five petals, and is ⅝-⅞" (1.6-2.4 cm) in diameter. Flower petals are not evenly distributed, so the flower has bilateral symmetry but not radial symmetry. Flowers appear from March to July.	Yellow flower stalks extend outward from the domelike bush. Each flower is 1-1¼" (3-3.5 cm) around. Each is a composite flower, comprised of a central disc with many yellow or purple-brown disc florets, and yellow or orange-yellow ray florets.
Leaves	Leaves are on long and narrow branchlets, in 2-4 opposite pairs. Each leaflet is ⅛-³/₁₆" (4-6 mm) around, and ovate. Leaf pairs aren’t quite symmetric. Leaves are dropped entirely most of the time.	Leaves are triangular (ovate to deltoid), blue-gray, and 1-3" (3-8 cm) long. Fine matted plant hairs on the leaves give them a silvery appearance.
Fruit	Pods are ⅞-1½" (2.5-4 cm) long, straight, and contain a few seeds.	¹/₁₆-³/₁₆" (3-6 mm).
Range/ Zones
Habitats	In sandy or gravelly washes, at elevations of 328-4593' (100-1400 m).	Dry, gravelly slopes and open sandy washes, at elevations up to 3281' (1 km).
Type	Wild	Wild

Online References:

Bird and Hike

Www.americansouthwest.net

The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

CalPhotos (Photos)

Wikipedia

Discover Life

Www.desertwildflower.com

The Jepson Manual

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 4 × 6" (11 × 16 cm)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 20 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 4½ × 7" (12 × 18 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 4 × 6" (11 × 16 cm)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
≈ 31 × 21" (78 × 52 cm)

Cassia armata S. Watson

Senna armata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 20 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 15 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, California
≈ 4 × 6" (11 × 16 cm)

2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
≈ 21 × 14" (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain

Range:

About this map...