Cassia.] Leguminosce. 105 



3. C. occidentalism L. Sp. PL 377 (1753). Peni-tora, S. 



Ponnantakarai, T. 



C. Tageni, Moon Cat. 33 (? Linn). Thw. Enum. 95. C. P. 1262. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 262. Bot. Reg. t. 83. 



A coarse annual, 1-3 ft. high, often semi-woody at base, 

 stam. slightly branched, nearly glabrous, furrowed, purplish ; 

 1. rather large, rachis stout, 4J- 6 in., glabrous, swollen at base, 

 where on the upper side is a sessile purple gland, stip. large, 

 semi-sagittate, acuminate, caducous, lflts. 8 or 10 (4 or 5 pair), 

 on very short stalks, 2-4 in. (the end pair largest) narrowly 

 ovate-lanceolate, rounded and unequal at base, gradually 

 attenuate to very acute apex, glabrous, very thin, dark-green 

 above, slightly glaucous beneath; fl. large, i^in. or more, ped. 

 about \ in., usually in pairs in the leaf-axils; cal.-segm. obtuse, 

 nearly glabrous ; 7 stam. with perfect anth. opening by pores, 

 2 or 3 lowest longer and declinate, other 3 erect with barren 

 anth. ; pod z\~A\ in. by \ in. wide, erect, stiff, linear, slightly 

 curved, bluntly apiculate, flattened, slightly compressed 

 between the seeds, with thickened sutures ; seeds 20-30, com- 

 pressed-ovoid, pointed at one end, shining, very hard, olive- 

 green. 



Low country in waste places ; a very common weed. Fl. June, March, 

 &c; bright orange-yellow. 



Throughout the Tropics, and perhaps originally from the New World. 



The colour of the flowers in Fl. B. Ind. is wrongly given as ' pale 

 lilac.' The plant often strongly tinged with purple. 



Very fetid when bruised. Both this and C. Tora are much used as 

 alterative medicines. 



4. C. Sophera,* L. Sp. PL 379 (1753). Uru-tora, S. Taka- 

 rai, T. 



FL Zeyl. n. 150. Moon Cat. 33. Thw. Enum. 97. C. P. 1507. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 262. Burm. Thes. t. 98. 



A large annual, more or less woody below, stem slightly 

 branched, glabrous, 1. large, rachis 5-7 in., furrowed above, 

 nearly glabrous, swollen at base and provided there with a 

 large solitary gland, lflts. 12-20 (6-10 pair) closely placed, 

 shortly stalked, i\-2\ in., lanceolate, rounded at base, acute, 

 finely mucronate, thin ; fl. as in the last, but 4-7 in an axillary 

 raceme; pod about 3^ in. by f wide, nearly straight, somewhat 

 turgid, glabrous, acute, sutures broad, thickened, with very 

 numerous small seeds separated by partitions. 



Low country, especially in the dry region ; common. Fl. Feb. and 

 March ; pale yellow. 



found throughout the Tropics. 



* Sophcra, a name taken from Prosper Alpinus, and applied by him 

 to some Egyptian plant, perhaps this. 



