Senna multiglandulosa
Glandular cassia
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Family: Fabaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Not Native
Senna multiglandulosa (Glandular cassia) is a non-native California shrub / tree in the Fabaceae family, recognized by . Key features are flat petals and inflated indehiscent fruits.
Glandular cassia is a naturalized shrub found in the central California Coast and San Francisco Bay bioregions in disturbed areas at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces yellow flowers with petals 12 to 19 millimeters long arranged in axillary racemes with 5 to 15 blooms. Growing as a small, leafy shrub with dense hair coverage, it reaches heights typical of a compact shrub or small tree. Its compound leaves feature 12 to 16 opposite leaflets, each 25 to 45 millimeters long, with oblong to narrowly elliptic shapes and noticeably denser hair on the undersides. The plant produces distinctive elongated fruits 8 to 12 centimeters long that are slightly inflated and oblong in shape.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features are flat petals and inflated indehiscent fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Marin, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Orange
Outside California: native to Mexico, Guatemala, South America
Bloom period
Senna multiglandulosa blooms May-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Cassia: Senna and Cassia are now considered the same genus; plants in California are Senna.; vs Ephedra: Senna has bright yellow flowers and compound leaves; Ephedra is nearly leafless with jointed green stems.; vs Spartium: Senna has compound leaves with paired leaflets; Spartium has simple leaves or nearly leafless green stems.; vs Parkinsonia: Senna lacks spines; Parkinsonia has prominent straight spines at leaf nodes.; vs Asclepias: Senna has yellow pea-flowers and compound leaves; Asclepias has complex star-shaped flowers and milky sap.
Frequently asked questions
Is Senna multiglandulosa native to California?
No. Senna multiglandulosa is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Senna multiglandulosa bloom?
Senna multiglandulosa blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Senna multiglandulosa grow?
Senna multiglandulosa occurs in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Marin, San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Santa Clara, Orange, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Senna multiglandulosa belong to?
Senna multiglandulosa is in the Fabaceae family, genus Senna.
What habitat does Senna multiglandulosa grow in?
Senna multiglandulosa grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.