LEGUMINOS7E. 339 



luglandis folio, Sloane, II. 59. pi. 175. f. 1. Cassia herpe- 

 tica, Jacq, Obs. II. t. 45. f. 2 C. alata, //. B. et Kunth, VI. 

 347. Swartz, Obs. 162 De Cand. Prod. II. 492. 



HAB. Fording of Sulphur River, near Bath. Near the 

 Ferry. 



FL. Spring and Autumn. 



An erect shrub, 6 feet and more in height : branches simple, 

 striated. Leaves large, 1-2 feet in length ; leaflets, the lowest 

 pair very close to the axilla, the terminal pair obovato-oblong, 

 the rest lineari- oblong, or oblong with the apex rounded, retuse 

 with an orange-coloured apicula in the indentation ; subglabrous, 

 minutely punctulated, with numerous minute orange ovoid 

 glandules along the midrib on the upper surface ; pubescent be- 

 neath ; margined, penninerved : petiole incrassated at the base, 

 3-quetrous, plane on the upper surface with the edge raised so 

 as to approach subalate, and with the channel thus formed di- 

 vided by isthmi, connecting the opposite pairs of petiolules, upon 

 which may be detected numerous minute setaceous black abor- 

 tive glandules ; the under side of the petiole sharply keeled. 

 Stipules about an inch in length, lanceolate-falcate, auriculated 

 at the base on the inner side ; the margin reflected, and incras- 

 sated, and more or less of an orange colour. Racemes spiked, 

 a foot or more in length, terminal, erect, bearing numerous 

 large showy yellow flowers. Pedicels very short. Bracteas 

 large, roundish-obovate, generally eroded at the apex, concave, 

 thin, diaphanous, yellow, loosely imbricated, concealing the 

 flower, deciduous. Sepals subequal, similar in every respect to 

 the bracteas, but much smaller, and with the apex rounded. 

 Petals clawed, roundish, undulato-fimbriated, subequal ; one 

 of them more concave than the rest. Stamens, the two largest 

 with the anthers abortive recurved and retuse at the apex; 

 another but half their size but similar to them in every other 

 respect ; four others, with fertile anthers, of a still smaller size ; 

 the three last and smallest abortive. Ovary stipitate, recurved, 

 minutely puberulous : stigma obtuse. Pod about 10 inches in 

 length. 



This is the most showy of our native Cassias. After flower- 

 ing, a young shoot makes its appearance near the root, and the 

 old stem decays and dies. Ants are very fond of the flowers. 

 The juice of the leaves and buds have been employed in the 

 cure of ring-worm, and other cutaneous diseases. The infusion 

 has been used, as a tepid bath, in similar cases. The flowers 

 and young leaves, beat into a pulp, make an excellent poultice 

 for the superficial sores which follow some varieties of impetigo 

 and rupia. 



