Caatia LEGUMINOS^ 99 



§ 14. Leaves abruptly pinnate. Calyx 5-cleft, segments 

 imbricate. Petals 5. Anthers basifixed, opening by pores 

 or chinks. Ovary or stalk of the ovary free at the base 

 of the calyx ; ovules indefinite. . Seeds with endosperm. 



33. CASSIA L. 



Trees, shrubs or herbs. Leaves abruptly pinnate ; leaflets 

 opposite. FJowers in racemes, panicles, clusters, or solitary. 

 Calyx 5-cleft, segments imbricate, deciduous. Petals 5, imbricate, 

 subequal or the lower larger, the highest inside the rest. Stamens 

 sometimes 10, all perfect and subequal, or the upper smaller, or 

 the 3 highest very small and imperfect or wanting ; anthers 

 basifixed, all similar or those of the lower stamens larger, dis- 

 charging the pollen by pores or short chinks at the apex, or by 

 pores at the base. Pod cylindrical or flat-compressed, dry or 

 filled with pulp, often with many cells separated by transverse 

 walls. 



Species 380, widely dispersed through the tropics, numerous 

 in America from southern Chili to Massachusetts, very many in 

 the whole of Africa, occurring also in tropical Asia and in 

 Australia, but none in Tasmania and New Zealand. 



I. Perfect stamens usually 7 ; the 3 lowest with long curved 

 filaments longer than the petals, and anthers ovate or ellipsoidal 

 not more than 4-6 mm. 1., opening by longitudinal chinks ; 

 filaments of the 4 or 5 intermediate stamens much shorter, 

 anthers opening by pores at the base ; the uppermost 3 or 2 

 much smaller and usually imperfect. Pod long, smooth and 

 cylindrical, or rough and slightly compressed, hard, not splitting 

 open. Seeds flattened parallel to the tranverse partitions. 

 Glands on leaves wanting. 



Leaflets oblong, in 8-20 pairs. 



Leaflets rounded at both ends. Pod rough com- 

 pressed 1. C. grandis. 



[Leaflets emarginate, unequal-sided. Pod smooth, 



cylindrical C. marginata.'\ 



[Leaflets ovate, in 4-8 pairs. Pod smooth, cylindrical... C. fistula.} 



II. Perfect stamens usually 7 (10 in C. glauca), the 2 or 3 

 lowest somewhat longer than the rest ; anthers with 1 or 2 pores 

 at the apex, linear, curved, 6-13 mm. 1. ; staminodes usually 3. 

 Pod cylindrical or compresbed, opening at one or both margins, 

 valves not elastic, or more rarely not opening at all. 



Leaves glandular at the base of the petiole. 



Gland tuberculate 6. C. occidentalis. 



Gland cylindrical. 



Leaflets glabrous 8. C. Ugustrina. 



Leaflets hairy on both sides 7. C. hirsuta. 



H 2 



