1. Bauhinia.] 42. CM8ALTINIACEM. [3. Cassia. 



Twigs pubescent L. 2^" by 3'' to 6" by Q v , usually about 5£" by 5J' ' 

 pubescent especially on the nerves and grey-glaucous beneath. Petiole 

 fr-lf* pubescent stout. Cafy* spathaceous, tube 1-1£", limb broad ovate. 

 Petals obovate 2-2£" long, pure white (usually cultivated) or purple with 

 one petal variegated with yellow, long-clawed. Perfect stamens 5 (5-3, 

 F.B I.) without staminodes. Pod very venose when dry (more so than in 

 B. malabarica). Stalk 1''. 



" The bark yields a fibre and is both eaten and used medicinally; 

 Campbell. The flowers and flower-buds are sometimes eaten. 



3. Hardwickia, Roxb. 



1. H. biliata> Roxb. Anjan, E., Kliarw. 



An elegant tree with pendulous branches and leaves 

 resembling those of a Bauhinia (in which the two lobes have 

 separated to the base as distinct leaflets) with palmate nerves. 

 Flowers small in axillary and terminal lax panicled racemes. 

 Calyx-tube hardly any. Sepals 5 sub-petaloid, persistent. 

 Petals p. St. 10 alternate shorter. Ovary 2-ovuled. Pod 

 thin, 2-3" long, oblong-lanceolate, with one seed near the end. 



Palamau, especially towards the Sone, on the other side of which, in 

 the Kymore Hills, it is frequent and attains 120 ft. {Vide Himalayan 

 Journals). " Gregarious in patches south of the Sone Biver," Brandts. 

 Fls. July. Fr. Feby.-March. Evergreen. New shoots in April. 



Lflts. ovate-rhomboid, oblique 4-5-nerved 1-3'' long. Fls. greenish- 

 yellow. 



Wood very hard and heavy, sometimes nearly black. Much lopped for 

 fodder. Large trees are now very scarce but coppice shoots are frequent 

 in the west of Palamau. The bark yields a fibre. 



<#. Cassia. L. 



Trees, shrubs or herbs with pari-pinnate leaves and usually 

 fihowy-yellow flowers in axillary racemes or terminal panicles, 

 rarely small in axillary pairs. Calyx-tube short, sepals 5 

 • tnbricate. Pet. 5 usually somewhat zygomorphous, St. 10, 

 i'requently unequal or some reduced to staminodes, antherH 



299 



