372 XXIII. LEGUMINOSAE 



at Bullawala, Dehra Dun, showed a mean girth of 7-7 in. and a mean height of 

 11 ft. 8 in. for Cassia as compared with 8-6 in. and 16 ft. respectively for sal. 



The following figures give the results of measurements made in coppice 

 coupes by Mr. C. M. McCrie in 1910 in Gorakhpur, United Provinces, together 

 with measurements of sal coppice in the same coupes : 



Measurements made in 1911 in coppice coupes two years old in Gonda, 

 United Provinces, gave the following results : 



Cassia. Sal. 



Mean height 9 ft. 9 ft. 



Average number of shoots per stool . . . 1-5 1-7 



2. Cassia renigera, Wall. Vern. Ngushwe, ngusat, Burm. 



A small deciduous tree of the dry zone of Upper Burma, chiefly in dry 

 open scrub forests. It is often cultivated for ornament, and grows and flowers 

 well even in moist climates like that of Rangoon, .although in its natural 

 habitat it is accustomed to a dry climate and is capable of growing on com- 

 paratively poor soils. The tree has large pink flowers (Prain notes that the 

 Shan hills specimens have yellow flowers) ; these appear in April and May 

 in short racemes along the bare branches together with the young leaves, and 

 the trees at this time are strikingly handsome. The pods are about 15-18 in. 

 long, cylindrical and pendulous, resembling those of C. Fistula. The tree is 

 leafless for- some time in the hot season. 



3. Cassia siamea, Lam. Syn. C. florida, Vahl. Vern. Mezali, Burm. 



A moderate-sized evergreen tree with a dense crown, probably indigenous 

 in Burma and the southernmost part of Madras ; largely planted for ornament. 

 The yellow flowers, in large pyramidal terminal panicles, appear mainly in 

 the hot season, but the flowering period is comparatively long, and flowers 

 may often be found at various seasons. The pods are 4-10 in. long, and ripen 

 towards the end of the hot season ; they hang in clusters and give the tree 

 a somewhat untidy appearance. The tree grows fairly rapidly and is easy 

 to cultivate ; it grows well on moist soils provided tlie drainage is good. 



4. Cassia auriculata, Linn. Tanners' cassia. Vern. Tarwar, tanvad, 

 taroda, Mar. ; Avararn, Tam. ; Tangedu, Tel. ; Peikthingat, Burm. 



An evergreen often gregarious shrub ; leaves paripinnate with eight to 

 twelve pairs of leaflets. It yields the most important tan-bark in India, and 

 on this account is worth cultivation on a larger scale than at present. It is 

 also a useful plant for clothing dry bare rocky ground and poor soil. In 

 Madras it is sown as a green manure crop. 



