Cassia tora
common names:
sickle senna,
sickle pod, tora,
coffee pod and
foetid cassia etc.
Caesalpinioideae.
It grows wild in most of the tropics and is considered a weed in many places. Senna tora has many uses. The whole plant and roots, leaves, and seeds have been widely used in traditional Indian and South Asian medicine. The plant and seeds are edible. Young leaves can be cooked as a vegetable while the roasted seeds are used as a substitute coffee. In Sri Lanka, the flowers are added to food. It is used as a natural pesticide in organic farms, and as a powder commonly used in the pet food industry. It is mixed with guar gum for use in mining and other industrial applications. The seeds and leaves are used to treat skin disease and its seeds can be utilized as a laxative.
Surendra Parihar