Senna italica subsp. arachoides flowers

The yellow flowers of Senna italica subsp. arachoides grow in many-flowered racemes from leaf axils or stem tips. The inflorescence becomes up to 15 cm long, the flower 2,5 cm in diameter.

The small brown calyx is insignificant behind the five broad, partly spreading to in-curving petals. The stamens have curved, brown anthers, the style long and pale.

The raceme in picture has closed buds, open flowers and tiny fruit pods; their positioning shows the order of proceedings. Flowering happens in spring to late autumn (Pooley, 1998; Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iSpot; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).