CASSIA CHAMECRISTA. 229 
Caffia Chamecrifta Linnet. Decandria Monogynia. 
Radix annua fibrofa. Caulis’ fufquipedalis, erectus, : 
teres, levis, ramofus, coloratus. Folia alterna, pinna=- 
ta, multijuga, abrupta; foliolis oppofitis, ovalibus, gla- 
berrimis, zqualibus, cum forma et fenfibilitate Mimofz ; ; 
foliis fimillimis. Flores-fparfi, pedunculati, fpeciofo au- 
reo colore,antheris purpureis. Stipulz bine laterales, erectz, 
Janceolatz, acute. Glandulafuper medium petioli, in plan= 
tis majoribus, pedicellatae Pedunculus {patio fupra petio= - 
lum egreditur.. Ab»menfe Auguftr ad -finem : eftatis » 
floret; folis omnibus habitat, fed humilis maxime gau-' 
det. The Golden-Caffia, or Peacock-Flower, is an annual 
plant, the root and ftalk dying every year.” The root is 
{mall, confifting of fibres, or threads» The ftem is up~ | 
right; in fmall-plants, not more than eight inches high; 
but in richer ground,: where level and: moiit, the ftem ri- 
fes to a foot and a half, or-two feet; a little crooked, 
round, {mooth and coloured; branching out at the up- 
per part, and bearing many flowers ftanding, on bending 
foot ftalks, f{cattered all over the main ftem and branches. - 
The petals, or flower-leaves, are five;-of a fine golden 
colour, with ten male ftamina,; or-threads, in the middle, - 
crowned with antherz, or buttons; of a red or purple co- 
lour. Thefe flaments, fomewhat refembling the creft or: 
plumage on the head of a peacock; have led fome botanilts » 
to name it. crifta -pavonis, or *peacock-flower; but the: 
plant, we here treat of, being-afmaller fpecies, they have’ 
added Cham zcrifta. pavonis, or Dwarf-Peacock-flower. 
In the middle of the ten male filaments, above mention- 
ed, willbe readily obferved another fingle thread or ftyle,- 
whichisthe female part of the flower, producing the- 
feed-vetfel, or bean; each pod containing a fingle- row of 
black fhining feeds, fixed to the upper future or ‘back-: 
feam of the bean: thefe feeds are nearly flat, four-corner- 
eds. 
