CASSIA 373 



Distribution and habitat. Common in the drier parts of the Indian 

 Peninsula from Ajmer and the Jumna river southwards, covering large areas 

 in the Deccan ; also found in the dry zone of Upper Burma. It is common 

 on dry stony hills in open places and in scrub forest ; it occurs also on black 

 cotton soil and on laterite near the sea-coast. It is naturally a species of hot 

 dry regions, where the absolute maximum shade temperature varies from 

 100 to nearly 120 F., the absolute minimum from 33 to 55 F., and the normal 

 rainfall from 20 to 50 in. 



Flowering and fruiting. The yellow flowers appear at various seasons, 

 chiefly from October to May. The flowering and fruiting seasons overlap, 

 and ripe fruit may be found for a considerable period of the year. The pod 

 is flat, 3-4 in. long by about 0-6 in. broad. The seeds (Fig. 146, a) are 0-3 in. 

 long ; about 1,100 weigh 1 oz. Good seeds have no difficulty in germinating, 

 and the percentage of fertility is fairly high. The plant begins to flower and 

 fruit at an early age, usually when about a year old. 



Germination (Fig. 146, b-d). Epigeous. The radicle emerges and 

 descends ; the hypocotyl elongates, raising above ground the cotyledons 

 usually enclosed in the testa, which falls to the ground with the expansion 

 of the cotyledons. 



The seedling (Fig. 146). 



Roots : primary root very long, terete, tapering, woody : lateral roots 

 moderate in number, short to moderately long, distributed down main root. 

 Hypocotyl distinct from root, 1-2 in. long, terete, tapering upwards, minutely 

 pubescent when young. Cotyledons very shortly petiolate, foliaceous, some- 

 what fleshy, 0-6-0-8 in. by 0-5-0-7 in., sub-orbicular or broadly obovate, 

 entire, green, glabrous. Stem erect, woody, glabrous, young parts green. 

 Leaves alternate, compound, paripinnate, first 2-6 usually with 2 pairs of 

 leaflets, subsequent leaves with 3-6 pairs or more. Stipules in young seedlings 

 up to 0-25 in. long, linear or triangular acuminate, auriculate, green, pubescent. 

 Rachis channelled above, sparsely pubescent. Leaflets shortly petioluled, 

 with a filiform reddish gland at the base of each pair, 0-3-1 in. by 0-2-0 -5 in., 

 elliptical oblong, obtuse, mucronate, entire, terminal pair larger than remaining 

 leaflets. 



SiLVicuLTURAL CHARACTERS. This shrub does not stand shade or drip 

 from overhead trees, and grows best in open places with an abundance of 

 light. It is sensitive to frost, but stands drought well, growing readily on 

 dry shallow soil. It prefers light porous soil ; on water-logged ground or in 

 soil containing an excess of moisture seedlings are apt to rot. The plant is 

 avoided by goats an^ cattle, but plants cultivated near Dehra Dun were 

 browsed by deer. It coppices well. 



Cultivation. The plant has been frequently cultivated in various parts 

 of India, and for the production of tan-bark it is worked as coppice. For 

 tanning cow and buflalo hides the bark from shoots three to five years old 

 gives the best results, whereas for tanning goat and sheep skins that of young 

 shoots two years old is preferred : this refers to unirrigated plants. The rota- 

 tion has thus to be fixed according to requirements. 



For the formation of plantations stiff, water -logged, or alkaline soil and 

 frosty localities should be avoided, care being taken to select places with soil 

 which is light, porous, and not too moist. The site for the plantation should 



