Senna campicola and Senna macrantha

POPULAR NAMES: Casiruba, Fava do campo, Bejuco, Manduí (senna campicola or syn. Cássia camporum); Pau fava, fedegoso do mato, Manduirana (Senna macranthera)

Casiruba or Manduí (Senna campicola)

Manduirana (Senna macranthera)

INDIGENOUS NAME: Manduí comes from the Tupi Guarani and means "green liquid" because the juicy pulp of green color involves the internal stores where the seeds are. The prefix rana in indigenous language means "similar or like a Manduí".

Origin: The Manduí occurs in all areas of acidic and sandy savannah soils, Brazil and Mexico. And Manduirana appears in semideciduous forests in altitude from Ceará to São Paulo, Brazil.

Characteristics: The Manduí is a shrub with woody stems and rhizomes, with elliptical branches up to 2 m of height. The new branches, petioles and inflorescences are slimy and pubescent (covered by small hairs). The leaves are composed of 2 pairs of oval leaflets. The flowers appear in terminal racemes, contain up to 4 petals of 2 cm of bright yellow color. The tree of Manduirana grows from 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 feet) with the trunk of 20 to 30 cm in diameter and the leaves are composed of 2 pairs lanceolate and glossy (hairless) leaflets. The flowers are very similar to the Manduí.

Planted in the site of Frutas Raras: Manduí in September 2003 and Manduirana was planted in December 2003.

Tips for growing: Both species have rapid growth, are resistant to frost to 0°C or -1°C (30° to 32°F), and grow at higher altitudes of 200 to 800 m (667 to 2,667 feet). The soil may be deep, moist, neutral, with sandy or clay formation (red soil) and rich in organic matter or acid and low for Senna campicola. The Manduí begins fruiting in the second year after planting and Manduirana begins fruiting in the third or fourth, depending on ground conditions.

Propagation: Seed of Manduí are elongated and similar to cucumber seed and the seed of Manduirana are round, color of coffee with milk. These should be harvested when the fruit is brown and dry, that is if the birds do not eat before. Should be sown as soon as harvested, germinated in 20 to 40 days, the seedlings grow rapidly and adapt to any type of soil. After planting the seedlings grow 1.50 meters (5 feet) in the first year in the case of Senna macranthera, and this tree is great for composing reforestation or afforestation to compose the urban sidewalks.

Planting: Can be planted in full sun and in forests with large trees well spaced. The space for the Manduí is 3 x 3 m (10 x 10 feet) and for the Manduirana is 6 x 6 m (20 x 20 feet). Add 100 g of lime and 500 g of ash and 4 liters of organic matter to the planting hole for Manduí and double that amount to the planting hole for Manduirana. Water every fifteen days during the first 3 months, then only water is absent at the time of bloom.

Cultivating: Making only forming pruning of the crown and remove branches that were appeared at the base of the trunk. Fertilize with organic compost, may be (6 liters) poultry litter + 50 g of NPK 10-10-10 doubling that amount every year until the 2nd year. In the case of Manduí, use only a third of the amounts indicated above.

Uses: The Manduirana has fruit is dehiscent, but must be collected for consumption when they are still green and soft and the pulp liquid. The fruits of Manduí, are well filled with a lightweight grip, the shell breaks are leaving out a pulp juices, green flavor reminiscent of a sweet lemonade. Both pods can be consumed in-natura.

Flowering in the site of Frutas Raras: In April and May for both species.

Fruiting in the site of Frutas Raras: June to early August for the two species.