CHAPTER VII 



CASSIA BARK 



THERE are several barks of an aromatic nature known 

 in commerce as Cassia bark or Cassia lignea. They all 

 belong to the one or more species of Cinnamomum, and 

 are natives of the Eastern Asiatic Archipelago or China. 

 The species of the Malayan Archipelago are not culti- 

 vated, but the bark is derived from forest trees. 



That of China is cultivated by the Chinese, and is 

 exported thence to Europe and other parts of the world. 

 This species is 



CINNAMOMUM CASSIA, BL. 



This is a large evergreen tree, attaining a height of 

 about 50 ft. with a girth of 5 ft. The bark is grey and 

 smooth, thick in adult trees. 



The leaves are oblong, dark, shining dark -green, 

 with three prominent nerves, about 6 in. long and 3 in. 

 wide, the petiole short and thick. The inflorescence is 

 lax and spreading. The flowers are small and borne on 

 short stalks, arranged in threes, and forming small cymes 

 in branches at the end of the panicles. They are 

 yellowish white in colour. The whole flower pedicels 

 and peduncles are finely tomentose. The perianth is 

 deeply divided into six oblong short blunt lobes, and 

 bears nine stamens and three staminodes or barren 

 stamens. The anthers have four cells, which open by 

 little valves or lids, as in all plants of the laurel tribe. 

 This pistil is in the centre of the flower, oval, with a 



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