Cassia. decandria monogynia. 337 



4. C. bacillus. Gwrt. sem. 2. p. 313. 



Leaflets from ten to twelve pair, oblong, or oval, ob- 

 tuse. Stipules crescent-shaped, adnate. Racemes termi- 

 nal, on short lateral branclilets. The three lower fila- 

 ments with an oval, swelling near the middle. 



Cassia fistula silvestris. Rumph. Amb- 2. t. 22. 



A nativeof the Malay Islands. From seed received from 

 Sumatra into the Botanic garden at Calcutta many trees 

 have been reared. They blossom during the hot season 

 and ripen their seed in February. When in llower it is 

 by far the most beautiful cassia I have yet seen. 



Trunk of our young trees rather crooked and leaning 

 to one side. Bark smooth, dark brown, spreading almost 

 horizontally, with alternate, bifarious spreading-flexuose 

 branclilets. Spines, the base of many of the branchlets 

 become such, and of great strength, and size. Leaves al- 

 ternate, bifarious, pinnate, from six to twelve inches 

 long. Leaflets generally from eight to fourteen pair 

 though on the small lateral floriferous branchlets they are 

 often only from tw'o to three or four pair, all very short 

 petioletted, oval, or oblong, entire, very obtuse or even 

 marginate and smooth ; from one to two inches long 

 and about half that in breadth. Petioles without glands. 

 Stipules crescent-shaped, lower half narrower, and less 

 obtuse, the upper half much broader and emarginate, 

 with a bristle. Racemes terminal, on short lateral branch- 

 lets. Bractes ten, cordate, cuspidate, one-flowered. Pe- 

 dicels long, and slender. Calyx of five, ovate, dull red- 

 dish leaflets, many times smaller than the corol. Petals 

 oblong, difi"ering in size only, of a lovely pink or rose 

 colour. Stamina all fertile, the three lower filaments 

 much longer, and having each an oval swelling near the 

 middle and a double curve below it. Anthers on the three 

 long filaments ovate; on the other seven incumbent, 

 with pores at the small end. Germ long-pedicelled, su- 

 bulate, one-celled, containing numerous seeds attached 



Qq 



