256 XLVII. LEGUMINOSiE. Cassia. 



loose, terminal; kg. subglobose. — A plant with bluish-green foliage, frequent in 

 dry soils. Can. and U. S. Stem very bushy, about 2f high. Leaflets about 7" 

 by 4—6"', emarginate, petiole 1—2" "long. Flowers 6— 12 or more in each ra- 

 ceme. Petals 6" long, yellow. Legume about as large as a pea, on a long 

 stipe, mostly 1-seeded. Jl. — Sept. 



2. B. LEUCOPHAEA. Nutt. Ochroleucous Baptisia. 



Villous; petioles almost 0; Ifis. oblanceolate, varying to obovate; slip, and 

 bracts large, triangular-ovate, persistent ; rac. secund, with numerous flowers 

 drooping on long pedicels ; fc^-. ovoid or roundish, inflated. — ^Pry, rich soil. South- 

 ern ! and Western States ! Stem 2— 3f high, smoothish when old. Leaflets 2— 

 3/ by 1—2', stipules more than half as large. Raceme 40— 60-flowered. Pedi- 

 cels 1—2' long. Corollas very large, ochroleucous. Apr. 



3. B. LEUCANTHA. Torr. & Gray. (B. alba. Hook.) White-flowered Bapt. 

 Glabrous and glaucous ; Ivs. on short petioles; Ifis. cuneiform-obovate, ob- 



»;use; rac. long, erect; bracts caducous; leg. inflated, stipitate. — Very conspicu- 

 ous in prairies, &c., Mich. la. ! to Ark. Stem thick, 2— 3f high, branches 

 about 3, towards the summit. Racemes terminal, of large, white flowers, 6— 

 24' long, showy. Leaflets 1—2' long, J as wide, turning bluish-black in dry- 

 ing. Jn. Jl. 



4. B. AUSTRALis. R. Br. (B. coerulea. Nutt.) Blue-flowered Baptisia. 

 Glabrous ; petioles short ; Ifts. obovate, or somewhat oblong, obtuse ; slip. 



lanceolate, rather longer than tlie petioles, distinct at ba.se; rac. long, erect; 

 bracts caducous ; pedicels rather shorter than the calyx ; leg;, oblong-oval, stipe 

 long as the calyx.— Alluvial soils, Ohio river, Cter/t .' Harper's Ferry 1 to Ga. 

 and La. Stem 2— 3f high, branched. Petioles 1—6" long. Leaflets 1|— 3' by 

 \—V, sometimes acute. Stipules \—V long. Flowers indigo-blue, large. Pod 

 about 2' long. Jn. — Aug. ^ 



31. CERCIS. 

 Gr. KCpKig, a weaver's shuttle ; from the form of the legumes. 



Calyx broadly campanulate, 5-toothed ; petals scarcely papiliona- 

 ceous, all distinct ; wings longer than the yexillum and smaller than 

 the keel petals ; stamens 10, distinct ; legume compressed, with the 

 seed-bearing suture winged ; seeds obovate. — Trees with simple, cor- 

 date leaves and rose-colored flowers. 



C. CANADENSIS. Judas Tree. Red-bud. 



La)s. broadly ovate-cordate, acuminate, villous on the veins beneath. — A 

 handsome tree, 20— 30f high. Mid. and W. States. The wood is finely veined 

 with black and green, and receives a fine polish. Leaves 3 — 4' by 4 — 5', entire, 

 smooth, 7- veined, on petioles 1 — 2' long. The flowers appear in advance of the 

 leaves, usually in abundance, in small, lateral clusters. Corolla bright purple. 

 May. — The young twigs will dye wool a nankeen color. The old author Gerarde 

 in compliance with the popular notion of his time, says " This is the tree 

 whereon Judas did hang himself, and not on the elder tree, as it is said." 



Suborder 2.— C JESAL,PIX.a3. 



Corolla not papilionaceous, irregular. Stamens 10 or fewer, all distinct. 



35. CASSIA. 



From the Hebrew word Katzioth. 



Sepals 5, scarcely united at base, nearly equal ; petals 5, unequal, 

 but not papilionaceous ; stamens 10, distinct; 3 upper anthers often 

 sterile, 3 lower ones beaked; legume many-seeded. — Trees, shrubs or 

 herbs. Lvs. simply, abruptly pinnate. 



1. C. Marilandica. American Senna. 



Plant smooth ; Ifts. 6 — 9 pairs, oblong-lanceolate, mucronate, an obovoid 

 gland near the base of the common petiole ; fls. in axillary racemes and termi- 

 nal panicles. — %. This beautiful plant is frequently met with in alluvial soils, 

 (U. S.) growing in close masses, 3 — 5f high. Stem round, striate, often with 



