CASSIACEAE. 159 



Leaves with 1-pinnate blades : flowers perfect : petals yellow 

 or whitish, unequal. 

 Calyx-lobes obtuse : pods tardily dehiscent or Indehlscent. 2. Cassia. 

 Calyx-lobes acuminate : pods elastically dehiscent. 3. Chamaeceista. 



Leaves with 2-pinnate blades : flowers polygamous : petals 



greenish, nearly equal. 4. Gleditsia. 



1. CERCIS L. Shrubs or trees. Leaves 1-foliolate: leaflet broad. Calyx 

 shallowly lobed: tube gibbous. Corolla pink-purple: keel-petals of the ap- 

 parently papilionaceous corolla longer than the others. Anthers short, opening 

 lengthwise. Pod very flat. 



1. C. canadensis L. Shrub or tree: leaf -blades broadly ovate to reniform: 

 pedicels mostly less than 1.5, cm. long: sinuses of the calyx nearly as broad 

 as the lobes: larger petals 12-13 mm. long; blades ovate: pods linear-oblong, 

 5-10 cm. long. — Common, on rocky hills. — Spr. — Eed-bud. Judas-tree. 



2. CASSIA [Tonrn.] L. Herbs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves abruptly 1- 

 pinnate: stipules deciduous. Flowers in axillary racemes or panicles. Sepals 

 nearly distinct, leathery or petaloid. Petals mainly yellow or whitish. Pod 

 more or less turgid, indehiscent or rather tardily dehiscent. — Senna. 



1, C. marylandica L. Perennial, 8-20 dm. tall, sparingly pubescent: leaflets 

 12-20; blades elliptic to oblong, mueronate, 4—5 cm. long: petiolar gland 

 obconical, stipitate, near the base of the rachis: sepals 6-8 mm. long: petals 

 10-12 mm. long, cuneate to spatulate: pods curved, somewhat hispid, 10-12 

 cm. long: seeds flat, nearly as wide as long. — Common, in moist grounds, 

 especially near streams. — Sum. — Wild-senna. 



3. CHAMAECKISTA Moench. Herbs or shrubs. Leaves abruptly 1- 

 pinnate: stipules persistent. Flowers clustered in leaf -axils. Sepals nearly 

 distinct, membranous. Petals mainly yellow or whitish. Pod flattish, promptly 

 dehiscent, the valves elastic. — Sum. — Sensitive-pea. Sensitive-plant. 



Corolla small, less than 1 cm. wide : anthers 5^ nearly equal. 1. G. nictitans. 



Corolla large, over 1 cm. wide : anthers 10, very unequal. 2. C. fasciculata 



1. C. nictitans (L.) Moench. Stem branching and spreading freely, finely 

 pubescent: leaflets 12-28; blades glabrous, linear to linear-elliptic, acute or 

 mueronate, 10-14 mm. long or less: petiolar gland urceolate, subsessile: 

 stipules lanceolate: sepals 5-7 mm. long, sparingly pubescent: standard obo- 

 vate, sometimes broadly so, smaller than the large wing-petal: pods pubes- 

 cent, 2.5-3.5 cm. long, 6 mm. wide. — Common, in dry soil. — Wild sensitive- 

 plant. 



2. C. fasciculata (Michx.) Greene. Stem erect or spreading, finely pubescent: 

 leaflets 16-28; blades oblong-elliptic, acute or mueronate, 1.5 cm. long or less: 

 petiolar gland sessile, compressed, truncate: stipules lanceolate-linear: sepals 

 12-17 mm. long, short-hairy: standard 13-20 mm. long: pods pubescent, 4-5 

 cm. long, 5 mm. wide. — Common, in dry soil. — Partridge-pea. 



4. GLEDITSIA L. Trees with simple or branched thorns. Leaves rela- 

 tively small, 2-pinnate: stipules present. Calyx-lobes obtuse, about as long as 

 the petals. Petals nearly equal. Pod flat. 



1. G. triacanthos L. Tree becoming 40 m. tall: leaflets 1-2.5 cm. long; blades 

 ovate-lanceolate varying to elliptic: sepals narrowly oblong to lanceolate: 

 pods black and lustrous, pulpy within. — S. Eather common, in thickets. — • 

 Schists. — Late spr. — Honey-locust. 



