586 CASSIACEAE 



7. Cassia ligustrina L. Plant perennial, 1-2 m. tall, herbaceous, glabrous. Stem 

 grooved : leaflets 12-16, the blades lanceolate, glabrous, 4-4.2 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide : 

 petiolar gland at base of rachis, elongated, stipitate : stipules linear, membranaceous, 

 caducous : racemes few-flowered, forming a corymbose panicle : calyx-lobes oval, mem- 

 branaceous, shorter than the petals : pods flat, glabrous, with slightly sinuate margins, 8 

 cm. wide : seeds parallel with the valves. 



In swamps or woods, peninsular Florida. Also in the West Indies and tropical America. 



8. Cassia Tora L. Plant annual, 0.5-1.5 m. tall. Stem glabrous, herbaceous : 

 leaflets 4-6, the blades glabrous or pubescent beneath, obovate-elliptical or wedge-obovate, 

 very slightly cuspidate, the terminal pair much the largest, all symmetrical or nearly so at 

 the base, 3-5 cm. long, about 2.5 cm. wide : petiolar glands slender, elongated, situated 

 between the lowermost pair of leaflets : stipules persistent : racemes loose, few-flowered : 

 flowers large : calyx-lobes oval, membranaceous : pods elongated, linear, acute, falcate, 

 more or less tetragonal, glabrous, 16-18 cm. long, 3 mm. wide : seeds numerous, large, 

 quadrate. 



In waste grounds, Virginia to Indiana, Florida and Arkansas. Also in Cuba and tropical America. 



9. Cassia biflora L. Plant shrubby. Stems branching freely, glabrous or pilose : 

 leaflets 4-10, the blades usually pubescent or canescent beneath, sometimes glabrous, ob- 

 long-elliptical, acute or obtuse at apex, 4 cm. long, about 1.6 cm. wide : petiolar gland 

 stipitate, slender, acute, situated between lowermost pair of leaflets : stipules linear, mem- 

 branaceous, caducous: peduncles 2-flowered, in close terminal racemes: flowers large: 

 calyx-lobes oblong-elliptical, as long as the petals : pods falcate, narrowly linear, 9 cm. 

 long, 5 mm. wide. 



An occasional escape in Florida. Abundant in the West Indies and Mexico. 



10. Cassia Baham6nsis Mill. Plant shrubby, tall. Stems often simple, glabrous 

 or somewhat pilose : leaflets 6-10, the blades subconaceous, ovate or acutely elliptical, sub- 

 mucronate, 3.5-5 cm. long, 1.6cm. wide: petiolar gland orbicular, depressed, varying in 

 position from between lowermost pair of leaflets to near base of rachis : stipules linear, 

 caducous : flowers corymbose-paniculate : sepals petal-like : pods linear, flat, with lateral 

 depressions between the seeds, 9 cm. long, 5 mm. wide. 



In dry soil, Florida. Also in the Bahamas. 



3. CHAMAECRISTA Moench.' 



Herbs or shrubs, with pinnate leaves and axillary or supra-axillary flowers or flower- 

 clusters. Rachis of the leaf bearing one or rarely two glands near the base. Flowers 

 solitary or clustered, each borne on a twisted pedicel. Calyx-lobes 5, acuminate, mem- 

 branaceous. Corolla irregular. Petals 5, one of the lateral ones (banner) and the lower- 

 most petal (one of the wings) largest, the remaining three petals often greatly reduced. 

 Stamens 10, all perfect, or occasionally some of them reduced to staminodia : anthers 

 irregular in size, opening by apical pores: filaments short. Pods linear, flat, promptly 

 dehiscent at maturity, the valves very elastic. Seeds compressed, ovoid or quadrate, 

 oblique. SENSITIVE PEA. SENSITIVE PLANT. 



Corolla large, exceeding 1 cm. in diameter : petals only moderately unequal. 

 Plants shrubby or woody, at least at the base. 



Leaflets few, 3-8 pairs. 1. C. grammica. 



Leaflets numerous, 10-24 pairs. 



Plants erect : leaf-blades 20-40-foliolate. 



Leaflets 5 mm. long. 2. C. Misiissippiensit. 



Leaflets 1 cm. long. 



Leaves cinereous-pubescent. 3. C. cinerea. 



Leaves glabrous. 4. C. brachiata. 



Plant prostrate or decumbent : leaf-blades 18-24-foliolate. 5. C. procumbens. 



Plants annual, herbaceous. 



Petiolar gland oblong, depressed-truncate : species northern. 6. C. fasciculata. 



Petiolar gland orbicular : species all southern. 



Plant robust, strongly hirsute. 7. C. robusta. 



Plants of low stature, glabrate or only slightly pubescent. 



Gland crateriform. 8. C. beUula. 



Gland discoid. 



Corolla 2-3 cm. broad. 



Plant low and spreading : leaflets scattered on the rachis. 9. C. chamaecristoidfe. 



Plant erect : leaflets crowded on the rachis. 10. C. littoralis. 



Corolla 1-1.5 cm. broad. 11. C. Tracyi. 



Corolla small, less than 1 cm. in diameter , one petal much larger than the re- 

 maining four, 

 a. Plants copiously hirsute. 



1 Contributed by Mr. Charles Louis Pollard. 



