MEDICAL BOTANY. 
CASSIA HIST A. 
LINNEUS. 
PURGING CASSIA. 
CATHARTOCARPUS FISTULA.—Persoon. 
Sex. Syst.—Decandria, Monogynia. 
| GEN. Cuar.—Calyz in five sepals, united at the base, and more or less unequal. Stamens ten, free, unequal; the 
three upper short, with abortive anthers, the lower ones longest. Anthers opening at the apex, with two pores. Ovary 
stipulate, usually arched. Legume compressed or otherwise. Leaves simply and abruptly pinnate ; leaflets opposite. 
Petioles often glandulous. , 
Trees, shrubs, or herbs. The medical properties most common in the genus, are those of purgation. A tribe has, 
by some botanists, been made, called Cassiee, and the Species, now under consideration, separated by the generic 
name of Cathartocarpus. 
Srecir. Cuar.—A tree twenty to thirty feet high. Leaves pinnate, from twelve to eighteen inches long, deciduous. 
Leaflets from four to eight pair, opposite or nearly so ; the lower broad, ovate ; the upper oblong, entire, generally obtuse 
or emarginate, polished on both sides, from two to six inches long, and from one and a half to three broad. Petioles 
round, without glands. Racemes pendulous, simple, from one to two feet long. Flowers large, bright yellow, fragrant, 
on long, slender, smooth pedicels. Sepals five, nearly equal, oval, smooth, much shorter than the corolla. Petals oval, 
unequal. The three lower filaments much longer than the others, and having a double curve, but no swelling. 
Anthers on the three long filaments oblong, opening by two lines on the face ; the other seven clavate, with pores at 
the small end. Ovary filiform, smooth, one-celled, containing numerous seeds, which at this period are without any 
sign of separation, that appearing in the advanced state; style short, incurved; stigma smooth, conical. Legume 
cylindrical, nine to twelve inches long, dark, blackish-brown, terete, smooth, blunt, filled with a viscid, black, sweetish 
pulp, interposed between the seeds and the transverse diaphragms. (Lindley.) 
This plant is a native of India and Africa, but has been introduced into the West Indies. It grows well where the 
temperature is elevated. 
The pods are imported on account of the pulp which they contain; this is soft, of a black colour, vinous odour, 
and sweet taste. It is extracted and used as a purgative, usually in combination with other substances, in the form of 
confections. One or two drachms prove laxative. 
Piate XXVI.—Represents the leaves, Jlowers, and a section of fruit. 
CASSIA LANCEOLATA. 
NECTOUX. DE CANDOLLE. 
Cassia ACUTIFOLIA.— Delile. 
Sex. Sysr.—Decandria, Monogynia. 
Gen. Cuar.—See above. 
Srecrr. Cuar.—A small undershrub, two or three feet high, with a straight, woody, branching, whitish ree 
and pinnate, with glandless footstalks, Delile, (glandular footstalks, Nectouz,) and two meer 
The leaflets ave sessile, in from four to six pairs, oval, lanceolate, acute, oblique at their a as 
h to an inch long, and of a yellowish-green colour. The flowers are yellow and in axillary sp Le e 
cal, obtuse, membranous, smooth, grayish-brown, bivalved, about an inch long and half an in 
and divided into six or seven cells, each containing a hard, heart-shaped, ash-coloured seed. 
ag, TBs plant is the product of Upper Egypt, and is found near Sienna, in Nubia, Sennaar, and other port 
_  Affica. It was detected in the nei 
ghbourhood of the cataracts of the Nile. 
