524 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Baphia nitida, a native of Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa, fur- 

 nishes the dye-wood known under the name of Barwood or Camwood. This 

 wood produces a brilliant red colour. 



Bauhinia. — B. Vahlii, B. racemosa, and B. parviflora furnish fibres which 

 are used in making ropes. B. retusa produces a kind of gum. B. vm-iegata 

 has an astringent bark, which is used in medicine, and for tanning and 

 dyeing leather. The buds and dried flowers of B. tomentosa are also as- 

 tringent, and are employed in dysentery, &c. Other species of Bauhinia are 

 used in Brazil for their mucUaginous properties. 



Ccesalpinia. — The twisted legumes of C. coriaria are powerfully astringent ; 

 they are extensively used in tanning under the name of Divi-cUvi or Libi-dibi. 

 The legumes of C. Papai are employed for a similar purpose, but they are 

 very inferior to them ; they are called Pi-pi. The powdered legumes of C. 

 coriaria have been used with some siiccess in India as an astringent and 

 antiperiodic. C. Sappan furnishes the Sappan, Bookum, or Bukkum-wood 

 of India. It is used for dyeing red. The roots of the same tree, under the 

 names of Yellow-wood and Sappan-root, are sometimes imported from 

 Singapore, and employed for dyeing yellow. Sappan wood is also a useful 

 astringent, somewhat reseml^ling Logwood in its effects. C. echinata fur- 

 nishes Nicaragua, Lima, or Peach-wood, which is very extensively used 

 in dyeing red and peach-colours. C. crista is the plant from which 

 Brazil-wood is obtained. It is vised for dyeing yellow, rose-colour, and 

 red. C. b?-asiliensis furnishes another dyewood, called Braziletto-wood, 

 which produces fine red and orange colours. The exact species furnishing 

 the above three dye-woods cannot, however, be said to have been altogether 

 ascertained. 



Cassia. — The species of this genus are generally characterised by purgative 

 properties. The leaflets of several species furnish the Senna of commerce, 

 of which there are several varieties. Some unceitainty, however, stiU pre- 

 vails as to the plants from which some of the commercial kinds are derived. 

 The botanical source of the variety known commonly as Alexandrian Senna 

 is said in the British Phamiacopoeia to be Cassia Imceolata of Lamarck, and 

 C. obovata of Colladon. This is the kind generally most esteemed in this 

 country, but it is frequently adulterated with the leaves of other plants, as 

 those of Solenostenuna Argel, Ti-jy/irosia Apollinea. &c., from which it is 

 readily distinguished by the inequality of its leaflets at the base. The 

 Common East Indian, Mecca, or Bombay Senna is probably derived from C. 

 elongata of Lemaire. Tinnivelly Senna is furnished by the same plant cul- 

 tivated in Southern India. It is a very fine kind. The above three varieties 

 are those generally used in England, and Alexandrian and Tinnivelly senna 

 are officinal in the British Pharmacopoeia. Other commercial varieties arc 

 Tripoli Senna, from C. CBthiopka ; Aleppo Senna, from C. obovata ; and 

 American Senna, C. marilandica. The Italian and Jamaica kinds of Senna 

 are both derived from C. obovata. Cassia Fistula. — The fruit, which is divided 

 into a number of cells by spurious dissepiments, contains a blackish-brown 

 viscid pulp \vith a sweetish taste, which possesses laxative and purgative 

 properties. The root is also said to be a very powerful purgative. C. brazi- 

 liana has a larger, longer, and rougher fruit, which also possesses purgative 

 properties. It is commonly used in veterinary medicine, and is known as 

 Horse Cassia. The fruit of C. moschata is the Small Amer-ican Cassia of 

 the French Phannaciens. It is occasionaUy imported. The pulp has 

 similar properties to the two former, but is more asti'ingent. The bark of 

 C. auriculata is said by Roxburgh to be employed for tanning and dyeing 

 leather. It has also been used instead of oak bark in the preparation of 

 astringent gargles, &c. The seeds are also regarded as a valuable local ap- 

 plication in certain forms of ophthalmia. The flowers are also used for 

 dyeing yellow. The powdered seeds of C. absus, under the name of Chichm, 

 are used in Egjrpt as a remedy in ophthalmia. Tliey are also used for a 

 similar purpose in India. The leaves of C. alata are held in great esteem in 

 the East Indies and elsewhere as a local application in skin diseases ; and 

 the leaves of C. Sophora, C. occidentalis, and C. Tora, are said to possess 

 similar properties. 



Ceratonia Siliqua.—Uhe ripe fruit of this plant is known under the names 



