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PERKINS 1'HE LEGUMINOSAE OF POiri'O RICO. 



157 



13. C. vortorivensis 



14. C. ylaiidulosa. 



15. C. wirahiHs. 



IG. C. nictitans. 



Leaflets miiltijiigate, very small. 



Leaves subcoriaceous; leaflets G or 7, rarely 5 to 11- 

 jugate, obliquej oblong-linear, rounded at the top, 

 . 8 to 15 mm, long, 2 to 4 mm. wide, glandular; pe- 

 duncle 1 or 2-flowered; legume linear, hairy. 

 Leaves membranous. 



Glands stipitate; leaves obtuse or subacute; 

 costa usually in the middle. 



Leaves large, 7.5 cm. long; leafi(jts 1.1 cm. 

 long, 2 mm. wide; common petiole and 

 legume thinly clothed witli white hairs; 

 legume 4.5 cm. long, 5 mm. Avide. 

 Leaves small, 2.5 cm. long; h^aflets 5 mm. 

 l(5ng, 1 mm. wide; common petiole and 

 legume glabrous; h^gume 2.5 cm, long, 3 

 mm, wide. 

 Glands sessile or shortly stipitate; leaves nar- 

 rower, mostly acute; costa more eccentric. 



1. Cassia fistula L. 



(Urban, 272.) 



Tree 7 to 20 meters high; flowers in lax drooj)ing raceme?, yellow, large; pedicels 

 long; calyx segments oval or oval-oblong, 1 cm. long, obtuse; petals ovate, 2 to 2.5 cm. 

 long; legume pendulous. Flowering in June, fruiting in January. 



Cu!ti\ated and seemingly wild near Bayamon; in the Sierra do Luquillo, on the 

 lower slopes of Mount Jimenez near dwellings; near Mayaguez, at Algarrobo. — Cuba 

 (Grisebach), Juniaica, Haiti, St. Cruix (Eggers), St. Bartholomew (Euphrasen), Gaudo- 

 loupe, ^lartinique, St. Vincent, Bequia (Kew Bull. no. 81, ]x 248), Trinidad, Mar- 

 garita. Tropical Asia, frequently planted, but also truly indigcuious; in tropical 

 Atrica cultivated or escaped from cultivation and possibly indigenous; in America 

 Old 3^ where planted. 



Cassia fistula and C\ grandis are closely related. Both are noticeable on account of 

 their long simple racemes, C. fistula differs from other Porto Kican Cassia species in 

 its very large leaves and in its long pendulous legumes. The latter are cylindrical in 

 form and contain a dark brown, soft, agreeable-tasting i)\dp that has a slightly purga- 

 tive action. This fruit, called ''manna," is considered a delicacy, especially by chil- 

 dren. The bark furnishes a black dye, and is employed in tanning leather, while the 

 wood is Mduable for many purposes. 



Local name, caitaJJstula. 



2. Cassia grandis L, f. 



(Urban, 272.) 



Tree 15 to 20 meters high; flowers in drooping, axillary rusty-pubescent racemes; 

 calyx segments rather wide, G to 8.5 mm. long, ubtuse; ]>etals suborbicular, 1 cm. in 

 diameter; legume 15 to 60 cm. long, transversely rugulose. 



Indigenous and cultivated, near Penuclas at 'J'allaboa Alta; near Yauco, on declivi- 

 ties on the banks of the Duuy Biver at Mount Bodaduru; near ihiyaguez; near Vega 

 Baja. — Cuba (Richard), Jamaica (Bentham), Haiti, St. Thomas (Eggers), St.Croix 

 (do.), Guadeloupe. Central America, Ecuador, New Grenada, Surinam, San Domingo, 

 Jamaica, and perhaps North Brazil. 



This differs from C fistula^ the only other species in Porto Rico belonging to the sub- 

 genus and section Fistida DC, in the rusty pubescence of its racemes, and in its much 

 smaller, multijugate leaflets. 



