Tas. 8207. 
CAESALPINIA sapontca. 
uw ‘ 
Japan and China. 
; Lesuminosaz. ‘Tribe CAESALPINIBAE. 
Cazsaupinia, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. i. p. 565. 
Caesalpinia japonica, Sieb. et Zucc. in Abh. Akad. Muench. 1848, vol. iv. 2, 
p- 117; Franch. et Savat. Enum. Pl. Jap, vol. i. p. 114; affinis C. sepiariae, 
Roxb., a qua racemis laxioribus glabris vel glabriusculis et pedicellis 
longioribus differt. 
Frutex circiter 2 m. altus, diffuse ramosus, ramis longis aculeis recurvis 
armatis. Folia bipinnata; pinnae 3-8-jugae; nodi rhachis triaculeati, 
aculeis duobus recurvis in facie inferiore, unica adscendente in facie 
superiore ; internodia rhachis inermia vel armata; foliola 5-10-juga, 
elliptico-oblonga vel obovato-oblonga, apice rotundata, basi rotundata vel 
obtusa, 1-2 em. longa, 4-10 mm. lata, dense pellucide glanduloso-punctata, 
supra glabra, subtus puberula. Stipulae parvae, caducae. Hacemi pedun- 
culo brevi incluso 20-25 cm. longi, laxiflori, 25-35-flori, rhachi glabra 
rarius puberula; pedicelli graciles, circiter 3 cm. longi. Calycis tubus 
brevissimus; lobi ovato-oblongi, rotundati, circiter 7 mm. longi, tandem 
reflexi. Petala antica et lateralia lutea, late obovata, brevissime unguiculata, 
circiter 1°5 cm. longa et 1 cm. lata vel ultra; petalum posticum luteum, 
rubro-striolatum, obovatum, breviter unguiculatum marginibus supra 
unguem inflexis auriculiformibus, 1 cm. longum ungue 2 mm. longo 
excluso. Stamina 10, rubra, alterna breviora, filamentis inferne dense 
villosis. Ovarium oblongum, compressum, vix 4 mm. longum, stylo 
tubulari apice truncato ciliolato extus glabro. Legumen oblongum, rectum, 
7-8 cm. longum, spinoso-cuspidatum, dorso carinatum. Semina 6-9, oblonga, 
laevia.—C. crista, Thunb. Fl. Jap. p. 179. C. sepiaria, Miq. Prol. p, 242; 
Maxim. Fl. As. Or. Fragm. p. 5; Hemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. vol. 
xxiii, p. 206; non Roxb, 
There has been considerable difference of opinion amongst 
botanists from time to time as to whether Caesalpinia 
japonica should be united with C. sepiaria or not, but for 
- gardening purposes it is certainly distinct. The racemes 
are much laxer in C. japonica and the pedicels are longer, 
whilst the uppermost petal has red markings, which 
apparently do not occur in C. sepiaria. 
The colouring of the corolla recalls that of C. vernalis, 
B. M. t. 8132, which is, however, much less showy. 
Avaust, 1908. 
