J 



* ■ L 



PEEKINS — THE LEGUMINOSAE OF POKTO EICO. 159 



lary or terminal racemes; calyx G mm. long, petals L6 cm. long; legunnjs erect, thinly 

 coriaceous or cliartaccous^ obtuse, apiculate, 7.5 to 8 cm, long, 1.2 cm. wide, tardily 

 dehiscent into 2 valves; seeds horizontal, shining. 



Near Juncos on Mount Florida; near Adjnntas, in the river valley at La Galsa and 

 on Mount Cienega at La Lucia; near Utuado; near Maricao, on Mount Alogrillo. 

 Jamaica, Martinitpio (cultivated). Tropical and subtropical America, chiefly in 

 v:ai-te and cultivated places. Brazil, Guiana, Colombia, Central America, Mexico, 

 and also in similar situations in tropical Asia, west Africa, and Australia, probably in 

 most places introduced. 



Like other common weeds of cultivation, this is a variable species, but it is always 

 readily recognized by its acute or acuminate glabrous leaflets, with glands between 

 all the pairs, or all but the terminal. Cassia laevigata and C. chamaccnsla, in their 

 respective habitats, are used as a substitute for the genuine senna leaves, folia sennae. 



liOcal names, sen del pais, ijerha kedionda macho, 



7. Cassia occidentalis L. 



(Urban, 273.) 



Stem firmly herbaceous or woody below, annual of 2 or 3 years' duration, erect, 

 a few feet in height often forming dense bushy masses; leaflets 4 or 5-jugate, ovate 

 6r elliptic-lanceolate, 5 to 7 cm. long, 2 to 2.5 cm. wide; common petiole without 

 interpetiolular glands, but with a short obtuse gland near the base, black when dry; 

 flowers in short few-flowered axillary racemes or fascicles; sepals obtuse, 6 to 8.5 mm. 

 long, glabrous; petals obtuse, 1,5 cm. long; legume linear, compressed, 7 to 11 cm. 

 long, 6 to 8 mm. wide, 2-valved, rather coriaceous, margined with straight sutures. 



NearBayamon; near Maricao, in pastures; near Mayaguez. — Bermuda (introduced, 

 Henisley), South Florida (Chapman), Bahama (Hitchcock), Cuba, Jamaica, Cayman 

 (IILtchcock), Haiti, St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John (Egg(M^s), St. Martin (Stockholm 

 Herbarium), St. Bartholomew, Martinique, St. Vincent, Bequia (Kew Bull. no. 81, p, 

 249), Barbados, Grenada, Tobngo,Trinidad (Grisi'l)ach), Margarita. Tropical America, 

 Asia, and Africa; very abundant in waste and cultivated places. Probably of Ameri- 

 can origin; not yet received from Australia. 



The foliage and inflorescence of this species are generally nearly those of C. laevi- 

 gata^ except as to the gland, which is always below the lower pair of leaflets, and usually 

 very near the base of the petiole, not between the leaflets. 



The root of Cassia occidentalis, cortex fedegozo, is a valued remedy for intermittent 

 fever, and by the American Indians is thought to be an antidote against various 

 poisons. Seeds and heaves are both used medicinally. In the West Indies the negroes 

 apidy the leaves smeared with grease in cutaneous diseases of men and of anin:ials. 

 The roasted seeds, known as Sudan coffee, are used as a substitute for coffee. 



Local name, hedionda. 



Cassia lignstrina I.. (C occidentalis A'ariety glabra Stahl) is culti\-ated in gardens 

 near Bayamon and Manati. It is native in Bahama, Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti. 



8. Cassia tora Tj. 

 (Urban, 274.) 



Stem annual, erect or ascending 0.75 to 1 meter high; leaflets 2 or 3-jugate; obovate 

 or obovate-oblong, varying from 1.5 to 3.5 or 5 cm. in length; common petioh^ with 

 conspicuous narrow-cylindrical glands between at least the lower pinnae; flowers 

 usually in pairs or solitary, axillary, with or without a short common peduncle; sepals 

 6 to 8 mm. long; petals 13 to 17.5 mm. long; legumes elongate, curved, narrow-linear, 

 10 to 20 cm. long, 4 to 6 mm. wide, dehiscent; seeds arranged lengthwise, 



25734— VOL 10, PT 4—07 3 



