Definition

Noun 1. A tropical shrub: A very leafy, bad-smelling tropical weedy shrub (Senna occidentalis, formerly Cassia occidentalis). Its seeds have historically been roasted and used as a substitute or adulterant for coffee.

Usage and Examples

• The mogdad coffee plant is considered an invasive weed in many warm regions.
• Historically, during coffee shortages, people sometimes used mogdad coffee seeds as a substitute.
• Mogdad coffee is also known as coffee senna or septicweed.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in botanical, historical, or agricultural contexts to refer to the specific plant species and its historical use, rather than in everyday conversation about beverages.

Variants and Related Words

• Coffee Senna: The more common contemporary name for the same plant ().
• Septicweed: Another common name for this plant.
• Adulterant: A substance used to improperly mix with another, often to increase quantity (e.g., using mogdad coffee seeds to adulterate real coffee beans).

Synonyms

• Coffee senna
• Septicweed
• (scientific name)
• (former scientific name)

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically denotes the plant itself, not the beverage. While its seeds were used as a coffee substitute, "mogdad coffee" refers to the shrub.
• It carries connotations of being a lower-quality, impure, or substitute ingredient compared to true coffee ( species).

Noun

1. very leafy malodorous tropical weedy shrub whose seeds have been used as an adulterant for coffee; sometimes classified in genus Cassia