siamea

Siamea is a common name used for Cassia siamea, also described as Senna siamea, a fast-growing legume tree in the family Fabaceae. Native to Southeast Asia, it has been widely planted in tropical regions for timber production and as part of agroforestry systems due to its nitrogen-fixing ability.

Description: The tree is evergreen or semi-evergreen and can reach several tens of meters under favorable conditions (often 15–20 m in plantation settings). It has pinnate leaves with multiple pairs of leaflets, and panicles of bright yellow flowers. The seed pods are slender and elongated.

Habitat and cultivation: Cassia siamea tolerates a range of soils, preferring well-drained sites. It grows rapidly and responds well to pruning, making it suitable as a shade tree, nurse crop, or timber plantation. It has been introduced across tropical Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

Uses: The wood is pale yellow to light brown with a straight grain and is used for furniture, flooring, plywood, and general carpentry. It is also employed as a source of fuelwood and is valued in agroforestry systems for improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation.

Taxonomy and names: Synonym Senna siamea; common names include Siamese cassia, Siamese senna. The epithet siamea derives from Siam (historic Thailand).