I 



Cassia,] XL. legujiinosa:-. 283 



A common species in tropical America, occurring also in tropical Africa, tut probably in- 

 troduced there and perhaps not really indigenous in Australia. * 



3. C. Sophera^ Linn.; Vog, Syn. Cass, 20, var. schinifoUa, An erect 

 slirub or uiulershrub of several feet, usually glabrous. Leaflets 4 to 10 pairs, 

 lanceolate, mostly acute, 1 to 2 in. long, with an obovate or ovate acute gland 

 on the petiole near the base. Racemes short and few-flowered, on sliort pe- 

 duncles in the upper axils, and forming a narrow terminal almost raceme-like 

 panicle. Sepals 3 to 4 lines long. Petals broad, obtuse. Perfect anthers 2 

 larger than the others, all on short filaments. Pod 2 to 4 in. long, at first flat 

 but thick, when ripe terete ov turgid, 2-valved. Seeds crowded and mostly or 

 all horizontal.— a. schinifolia, A. DC. 7thNot.PLRar. Hort. Gen. 35 ; G.Bar^ 

 clayana, Sweet, PI. Austral, t. 32 ; Vog. Syn. Cass. 45 ; P. Muell. Pragm. iv. 14. 



Queensland. Burdekin river, A Mueller; Hear Fort" Cooper, Thozet ; Moreton Bay, 

 Ballachy, C. Stuart ; Ipswich, Nernd. 



W, S. "Wales. Hunter's River, R. Brown ; New England, C, Stuart i Hastings rirer, 

 Tozer. 



^^^r.jpubescens. Branches petioles "aud inflorescence more or less pubescent.^ Petiolar 

 gland occasionally disappearing.— Broad Sound, R. Brown, Bowmayi; Ottley's Station, 

 Leichhardt; Pararfiatta, WooUs. 



The species, iu its glabrons form, is common in E. luJia and the Archipelago and in tro- 

 pical Africa. It is there often confoxaft'dtd with C, occidentalism of which 1 had formerly 

 considered it a variety, and under wliick it is included iu Hooker and Thomson's Indian dis- 

 tributious. The latter species is, however, annual, with the few leaflets of C. laevigata, but 

 with the petiolar glartJ of C. Sopkera, aud the pod remains flat, although thick when ripe. 



Section III. Cham.esenna. Sepals obtnse. Stamens of Chamcsfstnla. 

 Fod very flat and thin. Seeds flattened parallel to the embryo, and lyuig 

 vertically in the pod (parallel to the Valves), separated by more or less com- 

 plete partitions or thin piilp. Shrubs, Flowers iti axillary peduucidc 

 cemes or terminal panicles. 



_ 4. C. laxiflora, ^JBentA, A tall erect shrub, softly tomentose-pnbescent. 

 Leaflets 10 to 20 pairs, elliptical-oblong, f to 1 in. long, without any glands 

 on the common petiole; • Stipules inconspicuous. Flouers m loose racemes 

 pedunculate in the upper axils, tlie upper ones forming a loose pyramidal ter- 

 jnmal panicle. Bracts inconspicuous. Sepals obtuse, the inner ones fuUy 6 

 hnes long. Petals not twice as long. Perfect anthers 7, uearly equal, on 

 ^e^ short filaments, opening by terminal pores, 3 veiy small and empty. 

 %le slightly thickened at the end with a tnmcate stigma. Pod stipitate 

 glabrous, thin and flat, acuminate, about 3 in. long and 4 lines wide. 



N. Australia. Arnhem N. Bay, B. Brown. 



^ 5. C. magnifolia, F. MnelL Fragm. i. 166. Glabrous Leaflets 4 to 



f pairs, broadly ovate, very obtuse and emarginate, broad and oblique at tlie 

 ^•^^^. 2 to 3 in. long, coriaceous and strongly veined on both sides, the com- 

 jou petiole i to 1 ft. long; glands between the leaflets obscure ornone. 

 ftipules persistent, ovate, the margins recurved at the base. Peduncles at- 

 *^*ning 1 ft, ill length, rigid, bearing a raceme in the upper part, llowei-s 

 f\ seen. Fruiting pedicels 1 in. long. ■ Pod very fhit, 3 to 4 in. long f 

 "^- broad, glabrous^ ;vith thin valves. Seeds flat, on slender funieks ; albu. 

 ^en scanty. 



Queensland. Rocky gratfite ridges, Upper Gilbert river, F. Mueller. 



culate ra- 



