ORDER XXIII. LEGUMINOSAE {continued) 

 Sub Order II. CAESALPINIEAE 



Genera 1. Caesalpinia, Linn.; 2. Poinciana, Linn.; 3. Acrocarpus, 

 W. and A. ; 4. Hardwickia, Roxb. ; 5. Saraca, Linn. ; 6. Amherstia, Wall. ; 

 7. Tamarindus, Linn.; 8. Cassia, Linn.; 9. Bauhinia, Linn. 



1. CAESALPINIA, Linn. 



Species 1. C. Sappan, Linn.; 2. C.digyna, Rottl. ; 3. C. Coriarid, Willd. 



1. Caesalpinia Sappan, Linn. Sappan wood. 



A small tree or shrub, the wood of which yields a red dye. It is believed 

 to be wild in the Shan hills, and is cultivated in India and Burma. 



2. Caesalpinia digyna, Rottl. Vern. Sunletthe, Burm. 



A thorny scandent shrub whose pods, commercially known as tari pods, 

 are very rich in tannin. It is found wild in many parts of Burma and Assam 

 as well as in Bengal, occurring on waste lands and in hedgerows, chiefly near 

 villages ; it prefers well-drained ground with sandy soil and avoids badly- 

 drained localities. The seeds are very hard and germination is difficult. 

 Mr. I. H. BurkilP found that prolonged soaking had no effect, but by cutting 

 through the outer impervious layer of the seed-coat with a minute cut 

 germination was readily induced : Mr. W. A. Robertson informs me that in 

 Burma germination is induced by filing through the testa. At Dehra Dun it 

 was found that germination took place almost at once, without any harm to 

 the seed, by soaking the seed in hot water and then removing the softened testa. 



3. Caesalpinia Coriaria, Willd. Divi-divi, American sumach. 



A small tree of the West Indies, cultivated, chiefly in southern India, for 

 the sake of its pods, which give a valuable tanning material. It grows well 

 in Lower Burma, bearing pods in quantity ; some years ago there was a small 

 experimental plantation at Tharrawaddy, in which the trees bore pods in 

 abundance. It prefers well-drained ground, becoming stunted on stiff soil ; 

 in the Tharrawaddy plantation there was a marked difference where the soil 

 became clayey. 



2. POINCIANA, Linn. 



Species 1. P. regia, Bojer; 2. P. elata, Linn. 



1. Poinciana regia, Bojer. Gold mohur. 



A native of Madagascar ; largely grown for ornament in the warmer and 

 moister parts of India and Burma. It is almost evergreen, and has a broad 

 spreading crown of feathery foliage, large flaming red flowers which appear 

 chiefly in April and May, and broad flat pods 1 to 2 ft. long, which ripen in 

 the rainy season and remain long on the tree. It is usually grown from seed, 

 but can also be raised from cuttings. It is fast growing, and has spreading 

 superficial roots which kill out other plants. Its shallow root-system renders 

 it liable lo be blown down during storms. 



1 Gardens Bulletin, Fed. Malay States, vol. i,. No. G, 1913, p. 193. 



2307.2 g 



