The plant can grow 30–90 centimetres (12–35 in) tall and consists of alternative pinnate leaves with leaflets mostly with three opposite pairs that are obovate in shape with a rounded tip.

[citation needed] Senna tora is considered an annual weed, is very stress tolerant, and is easily grown.

In India, it occurs as a wasteland rainy season weed and its usual flowering time is after the monsoon rains, during the period of October to February.

The whole plant and roots, leaves, and seeds have been widely used in traditional Indian and South Asian medicine.

Since Senna tora has an external germicide and antiparasitic character, it has been used for treating skin diseases such as leprosy, ringworm, itching and psoriasis and also for snakebites.

Most of the CT-gum processing plants in India are located in Gujarat state because of the availability of beans in the neighbouring states, but the widespread use of these beans as vegetables and seeds as cattle feed has been pushing up the raw material cost for the CT-gum industry.

The total fixed capacity in the country is 0.2 million tonnes for splits and 59,000 for powder based on Senna tora seeds.

Comprehensive export data disclosed that Japan and the UK receive a regular supply, while the United States market fluctuates.

[citation needed] The taxonomic history of this plant is extremely confused, even by the standards of Senna and Cassia.

It grows abundantly in parts of Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan.

It is distributed throughout India, Sri Lanka, West China and the tropics, particularly in forest and tribal areas.