CASSIACEAE 585 



pores. Ovules numerous. Pods turgid or somewhat compressed, often elongated. Seeds 



transverse or parallel with the septa. Sexxa. 



Leaf-blades 2-foliolate. 



Peduncles 1-flowered. 1. C. pumilio. 



Peduncles 2-several-flowered. 



Gland conical, situated between the lowermost leaflets. 2. C. Roemeriana. 



Gland setaceous, below the lowermost leaflets. 3. C. bauhinioides. 



Leaf-blades -1-20-foliolate or rarely 2-foliolate. 



Pod less than 5cm. in length." 4. C. Lindheimertana. 



Pod more than .S cm. in length. 

 Petiolar gland at base of rachis. 

 Stipules filiform. 



Leaf-blades 8-12-foliolate. 5. C. occidentalis. 



Leaf-blades 12-20-foliolate. 6. C. Marylandica. 



Stipules linear, foliaceous. 7. C. ligustrina. 



Petiolar gland between the lowermost pair of leaflets. 



Leaflets with obovate blades. 8. C. Tura. 



Leaflets with elliptic blades. 



Peduncles 2-tiowered. 9. C. biflora. 



Peduncles several-flowered. 10. C. Bahamcmig. 



1. Cassia pumilio A. Gray. Plant 8-15 cm. tall, the stems and leaves sparsely 

 pubescent. Stems tufted from a long, branching rootstock : leaflets 2, the blades linear, or 

 theearlier obovate, 3-3.5 cm. long, 2 cm. wide, slightly shorter than the elongated rhachis ; 

 petiolar gland slender, setaceous, situated between the lowermost pair of leaflets : stipules 

 acute, linear, membranaceous, persistent : flowers solitary on elongated axillary peduncles: 

 calyx persistent ; lobes slightly shorter than petals : pods turgid, oblong, finely pubescent, 

 1.5 cm. long, 7 mm. wide. 



On dry mesas, Texas and New Mexico to Mexico. 



2. Cassia Roemeriana Scheele. Plant erect, villous, 4-5 dm. tall. Stems numer- 

 ous, from a thick rootstock : leaflets 2, densely pubescent, the blades lance-linear, 3-6 cm. 

 long, 7-12 mm. wide, asymmetrical at the base, borne on a somewhat elongated rhachis : 

 stipules filiform, persistent : peduncles 2-4-flowered, forming terminal corymbose racemes : 

 calyx-lobes ovate, membranaceous : petals strongly veined : pods nearly straight, turgid, 

 mucronate, dehiscent along both sutures, 2.5-3 cm", long. 



On mesas, Texas and Xew Mexico to Mexico. 



3. Cassia bauhinioides A. Gray. Plant 3-4 dm. tall. Stem somewhat branching, 

 densely pubescent, pilose or even tomentose : leaflets 2, the blades oblong-ovate, very 

 asyuuuetrical at the base, canescent beneath, 2-3 cm. long, 1-1.5 cm. wide : stipules fili- 

 form, persistent : peduncles 2-flowered, forming corymbs at the ends of the branches : 

 calyx-lobes thin, memln-anaceous, elliptic : pods villous, compressed, straight or subfalcate, 

 acute, dehiscent along both sutures, 3-5 cm. long. 



On mesas, western Texas to Arizona and Mexico. 



4. Cassia Lindheimeriana Scheele. Plant erect, 0.5-1 m. tall. Stems branching, 

 silky-pubescent : leaflets 8-12, the blades asymmetrical, oval or elliptical, acute or mucro- 

 nate, canescent beneath, 2.7-3 cm. long, 1.5 cm. wide : petiolar gland setaceous, situated 

 between the next to the lowermost pair of leaflets : stipules linear, membranaceous : 

 racemes loosely many-flowered, becoming corymbose at the ends of the branches : calyx- 

 lobes ovate-lanceolate, striate : pods straight, acute, apparently indehiscent, nearly gla- 

 brous, very much comjjressed, 5 cm. long, 5 mm. wide. 



In dry ground, Texas to Arizona and Mexico. 



5. Cassia occidentalis L. Plant annual, 0.5-1.5 m. tall, herbaceous, glabrous : leaf- 

 lets 8-12, the blades lanceolate, becoming lance-elliptic, suliglaucous beneath, 3.6-5 cm. 

 long, 1-2 cm. wide : petiolar glands 2, sessile, conical, between the lowermost pair of 

 leaflets : stipules filiform, caducous : flowers large, in closely-crowded axillary racemes : 

 calyx-lobes rather short, oval or lance-ovate : pods linear, turgid, slightly compressed, 

 glalirous, straight, or arcuate, with the septa externally prominent, 11 cm. long, 6 mm. 

 ■wide : seeds numerous, transverse. 



In waste grounds, Virginia and Indiana to Florida and Mexico. Adventive or naturalized from 

 tropical America. 



6. Cassia Maryldndica L. Plant perennial, 1-2 m. tall, branching, herbaceous, gla- 

 brous : leaflets 12-20, the blades acute-elliptical, submucronate, glaucous beneath, slightly 

 asymmetrical at the base, 4-5 cm. long, about 1.4 cm. wide: petiolar gland obconical, 

 stipitate, situated a short distance above base of rhachis : stipules filiform, ciliate, caducous: 

 racemes short, many-flowered : calyx-lobes oval, more or less petal-like : pods falcate, flat, 

 linear, somewhat hispid, with undulate margins, 10-12 cm. long, 6 mm. wide : seeds 

 numerous, transverse. 



In moist or alluvial soil, Connecticut to Florida, Nebraska, Kansas and Louisiana. 



