CASSIA MOSCHATA. 323 



Fistula, L., is the type, and which is characterised by a long, 1864. 

 woody, indehiscent legume, divided into cells by transverse iniperfect 

 septa ; and, as the pulp (or more correctly juice} surrounding its specimens of 

 seeds was found to have when fresh a musky odour, it received 

 the specific name of moschata. The specimens collected by 

 Humboldt did not include flowers, and though the fruit was de- 

 scribed, it does not appear that specimens were sent to Europe, 

 The plant was therefore known only from the description in the 

 Nova Genera, and from specimens consisting of leaves only, one 

 of which is preserved in the museum of Paris. A description 

 of this Cassia was subsequently published in the Prodromus of 

 Decandolle, in the Synopsis Generis Cassice of Vogel, and in 

 Don's System of Gardening and Botany, but as none of these 

 authors appear to have had other material upon which to build 

 than the original notice of Humboldt, the plant remained very 

 imperfectly known. 



It happened, however, that in the early part of the year 1862 

 the late Mr. Sutton Hayes forwarded to London from Panama, 

 pods of a species of Cassia known there as Canafistola de purgar, Canafistola de 

 having a strong resemblance to Cassia Fistula, but differing P ur 9 ar 

 chiefly in being of smaller size. In reply to my observation 

 that these pods were simply those of C. Fistula, L., apparently 

 somewhat dwarfed by want of culture or a poor soil, Mr. Hayes 

 offered the more accurate information already quoted on 

 page 320. 



Mr. Hayes having with his remarks sent me some excellent 

 flowering specimens of this Canafistola de purgar, it became im- 

 mediately evident that the plant was wholly distinct from Cassia 

 Fistula, L. Further examination and a careful comparison with Comparison of 

 specimens, including the type specimens of C. moschata, H.B.K., 8 P ecimens - 

 and some more recently brought from New Granada by my 

 friend M. Triana, proved, as conclusively as in such case was 

 possible, that Mr. Hayes's plant and Cassia moschata, H.B.K. 

 were identical. Being now in possession of complete speci- 

 mens, I presented a description of the plant to the Linnean 

 Society, which, with a figure, has been recently published. 1 

 1 Linnean Transactions, vol. xxiv. p. 161, pi. 26. 



Y 2 



