410 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



43. Cassia alata L. Sp. PI. 378. 1753. 



Guerrero; reported from Yucatftn, Oaxaca, and Tabasco, but chiefly culti- 

 vated, probably. Widely distributed in tropical America. 



Shrub, 1 to 4 meters high; leaflets oval to oblong, 6 to 17 cm. long, rounded 

 at apex, glabrate ; flowers large, lemon-yellow, racemose; fruit about 15 cm. 

 long, each valve with a broad thin wing. " Flor del secreto " (YucatS^n, 

 Oaxaca); " taratana " (Oaxaca, Tabasco); " soroncontil " (Nicaragua); "ba- 

 jagua," " lucutema," " mocuteno," " ma.iagiiillo " (Colombia) ; " la ureno "(Pana- 

 ma) ; " guacamaya francesa " (Cuba); " barajo " (Guatemala, Honduras, 

 Blake) ; " talantola," "talantro" (Porto Rico) ; " guajavo " (Santo Domingo). 



In Jamaica the plant is known as " ringworm shrub." It is a very hand- 

 some shrub when in flower. In Guam and the Philippines it is called "Aca- 

 pulco," doubtless from the fact that it was introduced into those islands by 

 the ships which sailed between Acapulco and Manila. In the Philippines this 

 name has also been modified as " Capulco " and " Capurco." Reko refers the 

 Nahuatl name " ecapatli " to this species, and states that the plant was em- 

 ployed by the Aztecs for syphilis. He refers here also the name " totoncaxi- 

 huitl " ("fever-herb"), and states that the plant found use also as a remedy 

 for fevers. 



The leaves are said to have purgative, diuretic, and sudorific properties, and 

 they are employed widely as a remedy for ringworm and other cutaneous dis- 

 eases. The decoction of the plant has been used in the West Indies for ve- 

 nereal diseases, as a remedy for snake bites, and to destroy chiggers. Drury 

 reports that it is widely used by Hindoo physicians for all sorts of poisonous 

 bites. For an Illustration of the plant see Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb. 8: pi. 39. 



44. Cassia atomaria L. Mant. PI. 68. 1767. 



Sinaloa to Chiapas. Central America and South America. 



Tree, 5 to 12 meters high; leaflets oblong, elliptic, or ovate, 4.5 to 12 cm. long, 

 densely pubescent beneath; flowers large, yellow, racemose; fruit flat, 14 to 40 

 cm. long or more, 1 to 1.5 cm. wide. " Quediondillo " (MichoacSn, Guerrero; 

 doubtless a corruption of " hediondilla "). 



45. Cassia peralteana H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Sp. 6: 356. 1823. 



A very doubtful species ; known only from the original collection obtained near 

 Campeche. 



Leaflets oblong, 1 to 3 cm. long, appressed-puberulent beneath ; flowers in 

 axillary racemes. 



46. Cassia emarginata L. Sp. PI. 376. 1753. 



Cassia arhorcscens Mill. Gard. Diet. ed. 8. Cas.na no. 15. 1768. 



Nearly throughout Mexico. West Indies, Central America, and northern 

 South America. 



Tree, 3.5 to 7 meters high, or larger; trunk often 25 to 30 cm. in diameter; 

 bark dark brown ; leaflets oblong to rounded-oval, 2 to 13 cm. long, pubescent 

 beneath; flowers large, pale yellow or orange, racemose; fruit like that of C. 

 atomaria. " Flor de San Jose," " alcaparro," " vara de San .Tos^," " chile perro " 

 (Oaxaca) ; " xtual) " (Yucatan) ; " palo de zorrillo " (Paja California) ; " palo 

 hedioiido " (Veracruz) ; "mora hedionda " (Sinaloa) ; "vainillo" (Nicaragua) ; 

 " brucha macho" (Venezuela); "guacamaya amarilla," " Jtipiter amarillo " 

 (Cuba) ; "palo de chivo " (Santo Domingo). 



Reported to have purgative properties and to be used in .Jamaica as a dye- 

 wood. In Sinaloa the leaves are applied to allay the pain of insect stings. The 

 flowers are very abundant and sho\vy. 



47. Cassia andrieuxii Benth. Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. 27: 548. 1871. 

 Cassia fulva T. S. Brandeg. Zoe 5: 233. 1906. 



