258 



2. Cassia Chamaecrista L. 



CAESALPINACEAE. 



Partridge Pea. 

 (Fig. 2035.) 



[VOL. II. 

 Large-flowered Sensitive Pea. 



Cassia Chamaecrista I,. Sp. PI. 379. 1753. 

 C. fasciculata Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. i: 262. 1803. 

 Annual, erect or spreading, widely branched, 

 pubescent or nearly glabrous, i-2j^ high. 

 Stipules subulate-linear, persistent; leaves pe- 

 tioled, with a sessile gland on the petiole, sen- 

 sitive; flowers 2-4 together in the axils, I'-i^' 

 broad, slender-pcdicelled, showy, some of the 

 petals often purple spotted; leaflets 20-30, lin- 

 ear-oblong or the upper lanceolate, obtuse, mu- 

 cronate, inequilateral, oblique at the base, 4"- 

 io // long, i #"-2" wide; calyx-lobes long-acu- 

 minate; stamens 10, all perfect; pod linear, pu- 

 bescent or glabrate,i,j4 / -2 - j4 / long,2 // -3 // wide. 



In dry soil, range nearly the same as that of the 

 preceding species, but extending somewhat far- 

 ther west and to Uruguay and Bolivia. July-Sept. 



Cassia Chamaecrista robusta Pollard, Mem. Torr. 



Club, ax: 218. 1894. 



Taller, stems stouter, densely pubescent; flow- 

 ers larger. Kentucky to Alabama and Mississippi. 



3. Cassia Tora L. Low Senna. 

 (Fig. 2036.) 



Cassia Tora L. Sp. PI. 376. 1753. 

 Cassia oblusifolia L. Sp. PI. 377. 1753. 



Annual, glabrous, i%-i high, branched or sim- 

 ple. Stipules linear-subulate, at length deciduous; 

 leaves petioled, the gland borne between or above 

 the lowest pair of leaflets; leaflets 2-4 pairs, thin, 

 obovatc, obtuse and mucronulate at the apex, nar- 

 rowed or rounded at the base, i'-i%' long, often i' 

 wide; flowers 6"-i2" broad, few, in short axillary 

 racemes; calyx-lobes oblong, obtuse; stamens 10, 

 the anthers of the upper. 3 imperfect; pod linear, 

 very slender, strongly curved, 4'-6' long, about 

 i%" wide. 



Along rivers, southern Pennsylvania to Indiana and 

 Missouri, south to Florida and Mexico, and throughout 

 tropical America and the warmer parts of the Old 

 World. July-Oct. 



4. Cassia Marylandica L. Wild or 



American Senna. (Fig. 2037.) 

 Cassia Marylandica L,. Sp. PI. 378. 1753. 



Perennial, glabrous or pubescent with a few scat- 

 tered hairs, 3-8 high, little branched. Stipules 

 subulate-linear, caducous; leaves petioled, the gland 

 borne near the base of the petiole; leaflets 12-20, 

 oblong or lanceolate-oblong, obtuse or obtusish, 

 mucronate, rounded at the base, i / -2 / long, 3 // -6 // 

 wide; flowers y // -9 // broad, numerous in axillary 

 racemes on the upper part of the plant; calyx-lobes 

 oblong, obtuse; stamens 10, the upper 3 imperfect; 

 pod linear, pubescent or becoming glabrous, 3'-4' 

 long, 3" wide, curved. 



In swamps and wet soil, New England to Florida, 

 west to Michigan, Nebraska and Louisiana. July-Aug. 



