234 MANN, 



dark-colored and almost indestructible wood; the young branches, 

 &c., pubescent and unarmed. Leaflets 3-5 on each pinnule, oblong, 

 obtuse or emarginate, obtuse or tapering at the base, short petioled, 

 glabrous excepting the base of the midrib below,- and paler beneath, 

 2' long, k'-¥ wide. Eacemes many-flowered. Tlowers purple, |' 

 long, on pedicels of twice their length. Calyx nearly as long as the 

 petals, glabrous. Stamens scarcely exserted. Pod unknown. 



On the leeward verge of Kauai, whence it was brought me by a native at the instiga 

 tion of my good friend Mr. Valdemar Knudsen. An interesting species, tlie fruit of wliich 

 is much desired to make certain its proper relationship. Referred at present to this sec 

 tion of tlie genus as most probably the one to which it belongs. Native name, "Uliiuhi." 



Poincimia pulcherrima Swartz, the so-called Pride-of-Barbadoes, is often cultivated 

 or its very showy red and j'ellow flowers. 



18. CASSIA Linn. 



Sepals 5, somewhat unequal, scarcely connected at the base. Petals 

 5, usually unequal, spreading. Stamens usually 10, either all equal 

 and fei-tile, or the upper ones small and sterile, with 2 or more of the 

 the lower fertile ones much larger. Anthers, when fertile, opening at 

 the end only, in pores or short slits. Ovary with several ovules. Pod 

 cylindrical or flattened, usually long, but variously shaped. Seeds 

 usually oblong and transverse, sometimes parallel with the valves, 

 with a small quantity of albumen. Eadicle short and straight. Herbs, 

 shrubs, or trees. Leaves abruptly pinnate, the leaflets opposite. 



A large genus, widely distributed within the tropics, but particularly numerous in 

 Central and South America. 



1. C. Gaudichaudii Hook. & Am. {Enum. No. 121.) A shrub 3° - 

 10° high; young branches, petioles, peduncles, &c., puberulent. Leaf- 

 lets 3-5 pairs, oblong, obtuse or somewhat tapering at both ends, 

 usually refuse at the apex, I'- 2^' long, h' -%' wide, soon glabrate or 

 quite glabrous on the upper surface, and shining ; when reduced to 

 three pairs, the gland is at some distance below the lower pair, on the 

 petiole, instead of between them. Bracts, pedicels, and calyx puberu- 

 lent. Pedicels about 6" long. Calyx 2" - 3" long, the lobes ovate and 

 acute. Petals not much exceeding the calyx in length, yellow. Ovary 

 tomentose. Pod linear, very flat, li'-4^' long, k' wide or less, some- 

 what stipitate, nearly or quite glabrous when grown. Seeds 3-10, 

 flat, nearly orbicular, blackish. 



In open woods, not uncommon throughout the group. 



2. C. occiDENTALis Linn. An erect glabrous annual, 3° - 5° high, 

 sometimes hard at the base so as to appear woody. Leaflets 4-6 

 pairs, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, acuminate, ciliate, on the mar- 

 gins, I' -2' or in thrifty plants 3' long, with an ovate gland on the pe- 

 tiole near the base. Racemes terminal, short and few-flowered, with 



