438 



LEGUMINOS^. CCLXXII. Cassia. 



the East Indian tamarind^ and are not so good. In many parts 3 C. obova'ta (Collad. mon. p. 92.) leaves with 6-7 pairs of 



of America, particularly in Cura^oa, the natives eat abundance obovate, obtuse leaflets ; petioles glandless ; legumes flat, com- 



of the pulp raw without any inconvenience, except that of gently pressed, arched, tumid, and a little crested in the middle. Tj , S. 



relaxing the body. In Martinico they eat even the unripe fruit. but 0. in the gardens. Native of Egypt, Senegal, and Rome; 1 



cultivated in the south of Europe and the West Indies for its 

 leaves, which are one kind of Senna. C. Senna, Lam. ill. t, 



L and f. 3. 6. /. g. Jacq. fil. eel. 1. t. 87, 

 This is the Italian officinal senna. 



In the West Indies it is frequently made an ingredient in punch. 



West Indian Tamarind. Fl. Feb. Clt. 1633. Tr. 30 to 50 ft. 



Cult. Loam and peat is a good mixture to grow the species 

 of tamarind in. Cuttings will root if planted in a pot of sand, 

 with a hand-glass placed over them, in heat ; but as seeds are 



annually received both from the East and West Indies, this is 1640. PL 1 to 2 feet, 

 an unnecessary mode of increasing the plants. The seeds should 4 C. lanceola'ta (Forslc. aegypt. p. 85.) leaves with 4-5 



be raised on a hot-bed, and the plants put into separate pots, as pairs of oval-lanceolate, acute leaflets; petiole glandular; le- 



332. f. 2. a. 6. 

 Flowers yellow. 

 Obovate-lesifletted 



or Italian Senna. Fl. July, Aug, Clt. 



soon as they are about 2 or 3 inches high. 



guraes flat, compressed, straightish, tumid in the middle. ^ 

 Native of Upper Egypt. Lam. ill. t. 332. f. 2. c. and f 3. a. 



CCLXXn. CA'SSIA (m^trm, cassia, of Dioscorides^ Ac- Cassia orient^lis, Pers, ench. 1. p. 457. C. acutifolia, Delil. 



Flowers yellow. This is the officinal 



cording to Olaus Celsus, this name is to be traced to the Hebrew 

 ketzioth, rendered by Kaciav in the Septuagint, and Latinized by 

 cassia). Lin. gen. 514. Lam. ill. t. 332. Collad. mon. 1816. 

 in 4to. D. C. prod. 2. p. 489. 



LiN. SYST. Decandria, Monogynia 

 which are hardly connected together at the base (f. 57. a.) and 



ill. segyp. 75. t. 27. f. 1. 

 Alexandrir 



Sen 



na 



senna. 

 is the leaves of C 



lanceolata and C obovata, both 



natives of Egypt ; they are mixed with the pods. Those of 

 Calyx of 5 sepals, the former are most esteemed ; they are of a lively yellowish 



green colour, while those of the latter are green without any 

 more or less unequal. Petals 5, unequal. Stamens 10, free, yellowish cast. With the true sen7ia are mixed the leaves of 

 unequal (f. 57. c. d.)^ 3 lower ones the longest, the 4 middle 



ones short and straight, the 3 superior ones (f. 57. rf.), bear- 

 ing abortive difformed anthers. Fertile 



Ovary stipitate, usually arched. 

 Legume dehiscent, compressed, transversely many-celled inside ; 

 cells 1 -seeded. 



2 pores at the apex (f. 57./.). 



another plant,C?/nancAm?w A'rquel. Rouillion says that at Cairo 



the traders mix these in the proportion of 500 of C lanceolata 



anthers opening by and 300 of C. ohovata and 200 of Cyndnchium A'rquel But the 



Shrubs or herbs, with abruptly pinnate leaves 

 and opposite leaflets. The petioles are usually glandular. The 

 flowers of all are yellow. 



Sect. I. Herpe'tica (Amboyna name of C. aldta, var. (3.). 

 D. C. in Collad. mon. p 91. prod. 2. p. 492. Calyx of 5 bluntish 

 sepals. Anthers opening by 2 pores at the apex. Legumes flat, 

 membranous, dehiscent, furnished with an acute foliaceous wing 

 on the back, and divided internally into many cells by transverse 



greater part of the senna now used in this country is of a different 

 kind. It is called East Indian. In America they now use the leaves 

 of C Maryldndica. In medicine senna is a very useful cathartic, 

 operating mildly and yet effectually ; and if judiciously dosed 

 and managed, rarely occasioning the bad consequences wlnca 

 too frequently follow the exhibition of the stronger purges. Its 

 nauseous flavour, and its being apt to gripe, are the only incon- 

 veniences complained of in this druff. These are best obviated 



by adding some aromatic substance to the senna, as cardainon, 



ginger, cinnamon, &c., and by facilitating its operating hyarink- 



diWepim7nTs r cd^^ "'? plentifully of any mild diluent. Senna maybe given in 



^ ^ ^"^ substance to the extent of half a drachm night and morning, u 



is more conveniently given in the form of infusion, which is 

 generally made by pouring 6 ounces of boiling water upon from 2 

 to 6 drachms of senna leaves in a teapot, and letting it standabout 

 an hour, Seniia ought never to be used in decoction, Green 



f)ressed, nearly obcordate. — Perennial herbs, furnished with a 

 arge concave bractea under each flower. 



1 C. ALA'*TA(Lin. spec. 541.) leaves with 8-12 pairs of obo- 

 vate-oblong, glabrous leaflets, outer ones the largest, lower ones 



Native 



approximating to the axils ; petioles glandless. %. S. 



of South America and the West India Islands. Sloan, hist. t. 



large, yellow. The leaves are finely pubescent on the under 

 surface, according to H, B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 6. p. 347. 

 This is therefore a different plant. 



Var. I3j Rumphidna (D. C. prod. 2. p. 492.) racemes short, 

 few-flowered. It. S. Native of Java. 



Herp^tica, Rumph. 



ui ouutu xxuicnca ^uu tuu m e.c iiiuia ismnu«. oioan, nist. .. s^ys because it becomes perfectly inert by the total diss^^^^^^ 



175. f. 1. C. Herpetica, Jacq. obs. 2. t. 45. f. 2. Flowers ""^J^^^ nauseous and volatile principle, on ^J^^^^ ^^' P^'J,^" 



- ^ effects depend. The tincture, on account of the menstruum, 



cannot be given in doses large enough to have any effect. 



Zawceo/a^e-leafletted or Alexandrian Senna. Fl. July> Aug. 



Clt. ? Shrub 2 to 3 feet. ^ x 



5 C. LiGUSTRiNOiDEs (Schrauclc, in akad. munch. 6. p. l^*''i 

 leaves with 5 pairs of glabrous, lanceolate leaflets, the lo^^ 

 ones the smallest ; petioles glandless ? ; flowers racemose ; le- 

 gumes much compressed, glabrous, rounded at the apex. * • • 

 Native of Arabia. Flowers yellow. This kind of tenna is con- 

 fused with the Alexandrian senna in the shops. 



Privet-like or Arabian Senna. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 15^"- 

 Shrub 1 foot. 



6 C. pisTAci^FOLiA (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 6. p. 

 349.) leaves with 6 pairs of oblong leaflets, which are retuse ai 

 the apex and glabrous above but pubescent beneath j P^^^^-f 

 glandless ; flowers racemose ; legumes transversely veined. >? • 

 S. Native of South America, between Popayan and Meneses. 

 Flowers yellow. 



amb. 7. t. 18. C. alata, Burm. fl. ind. 96. Perhaps a proper 

 species. 



fFmged'podded Cassia. Clt. 1731. PL 6 feet. 



2 C. beactea'ta (Lin. fil. suppl. 232.) leaves with 10 pairs 

 of oblong, obtuse leaflets, which are soft and hoary beneath ; 

 petioles glandless. 1/. S. Native of Surinam. Flowers yellow. 

 Leaves more than a foot long. 



Bracteate-Rowered Cassia. Fl. April, Dec. CL 1822. PI. 6 fl. 



Sect. II. Se'kna {Sijcnna or Scena mecki, the Arabic name 

 for senna). Tourn. inst. t. 390. Gaertn. fruct. 146. D. C. in 



Collad. mon. 92. prod. 2. p. 492. Sepals obtuse. Anthers opening 

 by 2 pores at the apex. Legumes membranous, broad, flat, and 

 compressed, hardly dehiscent, torosc at the seeds, divided in- 

 ternally into many cells by transverse dissepiments ; cells hardly 

 pulpy inside. Seeds vertical, compressed, nearly obcordate, 

 'shorter than the breadth of the legume, but the length of the 

 funicle. 



Pistachio-leaved Senna. Tree 24 feet. 



amer. 6. p 

 leaflets 



7 C. sTROBiLA^cEA (H. B, ct Kuuth, nov. gen. 

 347.) leaves with 11-12 pairs of oblong, emarginate - .^^ 

 which are rather pilose above, but pubescent beneath » P^ * 

 glandless ; racemes axillary ; bracteas large ; legumes co 





