344 NATAL SPECIES OF CASSIA. 



(5) Cassia mimosoides, Linn. 



Erect, slender, branching, 1 foot to 2 feet high, or a suffruci- 

 cose herb, glabrescent; leaflets 30 to 50 pairs, with a reddish 

 gland between the lowest pair; leaflets minute, mucronulate, rigid, 

 linear-falcate; 0.2 cm. to 0.3 cm. long; stipules striate, subulate 

 from a semi-cordate base; peduncles axillary, 1 to 3 together, 

 1 flowered, sepals five, brownish-green, ovate, acute, hairy; petals 

 five, yellow, slightly irregular, obtuse; stamens 10, 7 fertile, 

 unequal, 3 staminoids; anthers opening by apical pores; ovary 

 sessile or stipitate, very hairy, multiovulate; style filiform; stigma 

 simple; legume linear, 3 cm to 4 cm. long, compressed, margins 

 thickened, hairy, 10 to 25 seeds in each legume ; seeds brown, 

 about 0.2 cm. long and 0.1 cm. broad. 



var. cajiensis. diffuse; leaflets 10 to 35 pairs, with gland 



at base of petiole, 

 var. stricta. erect, virgate ; leaflets 30 to 40 pairs with 



a large ellipsoid gland at base of petiole, 

 var. comoHa. erect, glabrous; leaflets 8 to 30 pairs, with 



large gland at base of petiole. 



A cosmopolitan tropical plant. It is sensitive to rain and 

 darkness, and also to touch. When plucked the leaves close 

 together and do not reopen. The plant appears to flower the 

 whole year round, but best between October and March, when 

 it is a blaze of golden-yellow. 



Cassia bieapsularis, Linn. 



An erect glabrous shrub attaining a height of over 5 feet. 

 Leaflets 4 to 5 pairs, base of petiole short and swollen, small 

 yellowish gland between lowest pair of leaflets, in groove of com- 

 mon petiole; leaflets obtuse, upper surface dark green, lower surface 

 slightly greyish tinge, light brown margin round each leaflet, 1.5 

 cm. to 4 cm. long, 0.6 cm. to 1.5 cm. broad; racemes axillary, 

 pedunculate, short and almost corymbose, the upper ones forming 

 a short terminal panicle; sepals unequal, greenish-yellow, glabrous; 

 petals irregular, broad, obtuse, bright yellow; 7 fertile stamens, 

 3 staminoids, flat and sessile, four perfect anthers slightly sessile, 

 one on a short filament and two on much longer filaments, all 

 opening by apical pores; ovary 2.5 cm. long, glabrous, light green, 

 multiovulate; legume 8 cm. to 10 cm. long, membranous or slightly 

 coriaceous, cylindrical or more or less inflated when ripe, opening 

 at length into two valves. 



A native of tropical America. The leaves of this species are 

 sensitive to rain and also to darkness, and fold up in a rather 

 peculiar manner. The lower pairs of leaves fold up along the 

 stem towards the apex, and the top pair — which are the largest- 

 fold over the others. 



