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senna

1. (Science: medicine) The leaves of several leguminous plants of the genus cassia. (C. Acutifolia. C. Angustifolia, etc). They constitute a valuable but nauseous cathartic medicine.

2. (Science: botany) The plants themselves, native to the East, but now cultivated largely in the south of Europe and in the west Indies. Bladder senna.

(Science: botany) The cassia Marilandica, growing in the united states, the leaves of which are used medicinally, like those of the officinal senna.

Origin: Cf. It. & Sp. Sena, Pg. Sene, F. Sene; all fr. Ar. Sana.