WILD FLOWERS yellow and orange 



plant, and is found in blossom from June to August, 

 in woods and thickets from New Brunswick, North 

 Carolina, and California. 



WILD, OR AMERICAN SENNA 



Cassia marilandica. Pea Family. 



Senna was first used as medicine by the Arabians, 

 and the leaves of this species are regularly gathered 

 in this country, and used as a substitute for the imported. 

 The nearly smooth, light green, slightly branched 

 stalk grows from three to eight feet high, from a peren- 

 nial root. From twelve to twenty oblong or lance 

 shaped leaflets set in opposite pairs, on a slender 

 stem from the large compound leaf. The base of the 

 stem is guarded with a slender, club-shaped gland. 

 The toothless leaflets are rather yellowish green in 

 colour, and lighter on the under side. They have a 

 fine, smooth surface, and are firm-textured. They 

 are blunt or rounded at the apex, and are tipped with 

 a tiny point, which terminates the midrib. They are 

 somewhat sensitive when touched, and droop when 

 roughly handled. The numerous, loosely constructed 

 short-stemmed, golden-yellow flowers are clustered 

 in the axils of the upper leaves. They are very showy, 

 and three of the five curved petals are set upright and 

 near together, while the other two spread down- 

 ward. Ten unequal, dark brown capped stamens 

 are of the same colour as the petals, and, together 

 with the prominent yellowish green calyx, add greatly 

 to the attractiveness of the blossom. The species is 



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