LEGUMIN0SIE-C2ESALPINli:.K. 



151 



name of Canefieier. This species, indigenous, it is said, in ^Ethiopia, 

 but at present spread over all warm countries, lias large cylindrical 

 fruits, reaching the length of half a yard. They are smooth and 

 dark brown, obtuse at both ends, indehiscent, and divided by woody 

 transverse septa into as many compartments as there are seeds. 

 Between the seed and the walls of its compartment is a sweet pulp, 

 often dark in colour; this it is that is used as a mild purgative. 1 

 For the same purpose has been used the bark of the Smaller Cassia 

 [Petite Casse) of America, whose dimensions are but half of those 

 of the preceding kind. It is now known to come from C. moschata} 

 C. brasiliensis Lamk. 3 [Caneficier du Brest!), is also used in its native 

 country for its laxative pulp. This species has much thicker, longer 

 pods, recurved and sabre-shaped, slightly compressed, with very pro- 

 minent sutures and projecting veins. Several other species have 

 been cited as possessing similar properties, especially U.javanica L., 4 

 (imorensis DC, bacittaris L. f., 5 and marginato Roxb. 6 



The section Senna furnishes the Sennas of commerce, purgative 

 plants prized for their leaves and pods, especially the latter, mis- 

 named follicles. This name no doubt arises from their flattened form 

 and dry membranous consistency, and their general leaf-like aspect. 

 They are straight and elliptical, ovate or obovate, or bowed and more 

 or less reniform. These fruits always finally separate more or less 

 easily into two valves, showing that each of the contained seeds, 

 which may be seen to cause an external prominence on the pericarp 

 is parted from either neighbour by a thin false dissepiment of centri- 

 petal evolution. Though several points in the botanical history of 

 the Sennas still remain doubtful, ; we may regard these drugs as being 

 chiefly supplied by the three species of the section Senna of Cassia, 



1 It formed part of the electuary cat. hoi icon, 

 the li'nitif, and even the true medecine noire 

 of the old French Pharmacopeia ; and is used 

 in the confectio Senna of the present English 

 one. 



2 H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec, vi., 358.— 

 DC., Prodr., n. 3.— Hanb., in Trans. Linn. Soc, 

 xxiv. 167. 



3 Diet., i. 649.— DC, Prodr., n. 1.— GuiB., 

 loc. cit., 317. — RoSenih., op. cit., L036. — C. 

 Fistula brasiliana Bauh., Pin. 403. — T., Instit., 

 619, t. 392 1). — ft SiUqua brasiliana purqatrix 

 compressa Lob., Ph. Bond., 11. — ft Fistula 

 brasiliana, jlore incarnato Bkeyn., Cent., i. 58. — 

 ft grandis L. fil., Suppl., 230. -ft Mollis 



Vahl., Symb., iii. 57. — J acq., Fragm., t. 85, 

 fig. 3. 



4 Spec, 512 (part.)— DC, Prodr., n. S.— 

 C. Fistula sylveslris Rumph., lh rb. Amb., ii. t. 

 22. — C. Bacillus GjERTN., Fruct., i. 318. 



5 Suppl., 231. -DC, Prodr., n. 13 —Cathar- 

 tocarpus Bacillus LlNDL., in Bot. Beg., t. 881. 



6 C.javanica Hassk. (nee L.). 



7 Guib., loc. cit., 336.— Mfiit. & I > i i... Vict. 

 Mat. Med., ii. 127; vi., 310, 320. — Bisch., in 

 Bot. Zeit. (1850), t. 9.— Peueiba, F.Um. I 

 Med., cd. 5, ii. p. ii. 350.— Lindl., Ft. Med., n. 

 535-539.— Batka, in Bot. Zeit. (1854), 12; 

 Monogr. der Cassien Gr apt Sim. a, IV. i 



lto (1866), t. 1-5. 



