Senna

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Senna \Sen"na\, n. [Cf. It. & Sp. sena, Pg. sene, F. s['e]n['e];
     all fr. Ar. san[=a].]
     1. (Med.) The leaves of several leguminous plants of the
        genus {Cassia}. ({Cassia acutifolia}, {Cassia
        angustifolia}, etc.). They constitute a valuable but
        nauseous cathartic medicine.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Bot.) The plants themselves, native to the East, but now
        cultivated largely in the south of Europe and in the West
        Indies.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bladder senna}. (Bot.) See under {Bladder}.
  
     {Wild senna} (Bot.), the {Cassia Marilandica}, growing in the
        United States, the leaves of which are used medicinally,
        like those of the officinal senna.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  senna
       n : any of various plants of the genus Senna having pinnately
           compound leaves and showy usually yellow flowers; many
           are used medicinally