Israel wildflowers: Bladder-senna

Colutea istria, Bladder-senna,
קרקש צהוב

Scientific name:   Colutea istria Miller
Common name:   Bladder-senna
Hebrew name:   קרקש צהוב
Plant Family:   Papilionaceae, פרפרניים


Life form:   Phanerophyte, shrub
Stems:   Ultimate height of 3m; rounded shrub
Leaves:   Deciduous; alternate, compound, pinnate
Flowers:   Papilionaceous shaped; yellow
Fruits / pods:   Green; pod inflated, closed at the apex, bladder-like, many-seeded
Flowering Period:   March, April
Habitat:   Hard rock outcrops and wadis in shrub-steppes
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes
Chorotype:   Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:   Perennating


Derivation of the botanical name:

Colutea, from koloutea, an ancient name for Bladder senna.

istria, Ιστρια.

  • The standard author abbreviation Miller is used to indicate Philip Miller (1691–1771), a botanist of Scottish descent.