338 CALYCI FLORA:. 



indicated in debility of the stomach and bowels, attended with 

 flatulence or acidity. The analysis of 20 parts of Cassia gives, 

 according to Henry: sugar 12.20; gum 1.35; tanning matter 

 2.65 ; traces of gluten (?) ; a small proportion of colouring 

 matter ; water and loss 3.80. 



The roots of this tree are branched, smooth, and large, and 

 contain a bitter principle, said to be febrifuge, and capable of 

 being employed as a substitute for Quinine. M. Caventou, who 

 made some investigations into the subject, regards it as a 

 powerful diuretic, and found that, like rhabarbarin and colocyn- 

 thine, it forms combinations, slightly soluble, with sulphuric, 

 nitric, and muriatic acids. 



The seeds of the Cassia, in the dose of 4-6 drachms, are pur- 

 gative. The flesh of animals, which have fed on the leaves, is 

 also said to acquire this property. 



SECT. 2. Sepals very obtuse. Anthers biporose at 

 the apex. Legumes terete, scarcely dehiscent, 

 thin, membranaceous, multilocular with transverse 

 partitions ; cells sparingly supplied with pulp : 

 seeds horizontal. 



3. * Cassia melanocarpa. Black-podded Cassia. 



Leaflets 2-paired ovato-lanceolate obtusely acumi- 

 nate shining above very glabrous as also the branch- 

 lets and petioles, lower leaflets smaller, a cylindrical 

 acute glandule between each pair, racemes peduncled 

 axillary, legumes straight terete. De Cand. 



Bertero, De Cand. Prod. II. 491. 

 HAB. Jamaica. 

 FL. ? 



SECT. 3. Sepals subobtuse. Anthers biporose. Le- 

 gumes with the valves furnished with an acute 

 Jbliaceous wing, many-celled by transverse parti- 

 tions ; cells subpulpose : seeds horizontally placed, 

 compressed, in general obcordate. 



4>. Cassia alata. Ring-worm Shrub. 



Leaflets 8-12-paired, lower ones in general lineari- 

 oblong, terminal pair always obovato-oblong, glabrous 

 on both sides or puberulous on the under surface, 

 petioles eglandulose. 



