4i^4 M.viii. i,r,(;r\rT.V(is.K. 



12, Cassia Absus, Lhm. Sp. PI. (1753) p, 370. An erect, 

 sparingly branched annual 0-18 in. high ; stems and branches clothed 

 with spreading viscous glandular hairs. Leaves long-petioled ; rhachis 

 viscous-hairy, grooved ; petioles —1 in. long ; stipules -i- in. long, 

 subulate. Leatiets 2 pairs, very oblique, y-lj by g-1 in. (the termiail 

 ])air the largest), eliiptic-obh)ng or elliptic-obovate, obtuse or subacute, 

 minutely nnicronate, glabrous or nearly so above, slightly hairy but not 

 glandular beneath ; petiolules ttV in- lo"S» densely hairy. Flowers 

 in terminal or leaf-opposed erect narrow few-flowered racemes ; pedicels 

 short, viscous-hairy ; bracts beneath the pedicels ovate, acute ; bracteole 

 1 about the middle of each pedicel, small, ovate. Calyx hairy, ^ in. 

 long ; segments oblong, obtuse, subequal. Petals ^ in. long, obovate- 

 cuneate, reddisli-yellow, tender, veined. Stamens 5, all perfect, equal. 

 Ovary densely bristly with long hairs. Pods 1-lj by ^-^ in., ligulate, 

 nearly straight, oblique, compressed, thin, clothed with bristly hairs. 

 Seeds 4-0, trapezoid-ovoid, ^V '^7 i ^"•' black, shining. Fl. B. I. v. 2, 

 p. 20-5 ; Wight & Am. Prodr. p. 291 ; Benth. in Trans. Linn. Soc. v. 27 

 (1871) p. 558 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 2, p. 109; AV^iodr. in Journ. Bomb. 

 Nat. V. 11 (1S9S) p. 427; Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 2, p. 210.— 

 Flowers : Sept. Vebn. Chdican ; Ghimar. 



Pretty common throus;hout the Presidency. Konkan : Sfocksl, Law I; Parel, 

 Woodrowl; Baiidora, Nairne; Dapoli, Nairne ; Vingorla, Woodrowl Deccan : 

 Pooua, }Voodroiv\; Bovvdhan hill near Poona, Cooke\ — Distrib. Throughout India ; 

 Ceylon, Tropicnl Afi-ioa. Asia, and Australia. 



Tlie seeds are largely employed in native medicine in the treatment of ophthalmia 

 and also as a cathartic. See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. 



13. Cassia pumila, La ml-. Encye. Method, v. 1, p. 051 (1784). 

 Suffrutieose, diffuse or procumbent; stems numerous, spreading^ about 

 1 ft. long ; branches slentler, clothed with weak spreading white hairs. 

 Leaves 1-2 in. long; rhachis hairy; common petiole -1--^ in. long, with 

 a peltate stalked gland on the petiole below the leaflets ; stipules i in. 

 long, lanceolate, very acute, nerved. Leaflets subsessile, lU-20 pairs, 

 J-| by Yij-g in. (the npper and lower smaller than the middle ones), 

 linear-oblong, very unequal-sided, ronnded and apiculate at the apex, 

 usually glabrous ; nerves conspicuous beneath. Flowers iisjally solitary 

 or 2-3 together, supra-axillary ; pedicels very short, slender ; bracts 

 beneath the pedicels lanceolate ; bracteoles 2 above the middle of the 

 pedicel, lanceolate. Calyx divided to the base, tV~¥ '^^' ^''"S? pubescent ; 

 segments oblong-lanceolate, acute, subequal. Petals ^ in. long, yellow, 

 obovate-cuneate, tender, veined. Stamens 5 ; anthers equal. Ovary 

 densely pubescent ; style short ; stigma peltate, concave, fringed. Pods 

 1-1 1 by \-\ in., with oblique partitions between the seeds, linear, 

 straight, or very slightly curved, flat, glabrous or with a few scattered 

 hairs. Seeds 0-12, obovoid-cuneate, compressed, brown. Fl. B. I. v. 2, 

 p. 200; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 82; Benth. in Trans. Linn. Soc. v. 27 (1871) 

 p. 570 ; Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. Nat, v. 11 (1898) p. 427.— Flowers : 

 Aug. Verx. Sarmal. 



Tolerably common in pastures during the rains. Konkan : Sfoc/iS ! Peccan : 

 Poona, Cooke ! ; Bowdhan near Poona, Cooke ! ; Dhnlia, IVoodrow. S. M. Country : 

 Badami, Woodrow. Kanara : Yellapur (N. Kanara), TnIhot\—'D\VTn^K. Throu^liout 

 India ; Tropical Asia and Australia. 



