118 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
and curvature, is surmounted by a style which is tapering, or more 
rarely dilated and capitate, or ciliate at its stigmatiferous apex.’ On 
the posterior wall of the ovary cell is a longitudinal placenta bearing 
on both of its vertical lips a row of anatropous ovules, indefinite in 
number, with their micropyles looking outwards from the hilum.’ 
The pod of Cassia is very variable in form, thickness, and consistency ; 
it is dehiscent or indehiscent, with the pericarp more or less promi- 
nent or hypertrophied between the indefinite seeds, to form as many 
chambers, in each of which is a transverse or oblique funicled seed, 
with coats of variable thickness, lined by thick fleshy or horny 
albumen enclosing an embryo. This has a 
straight radicle and parallel, flat or undulate 
cotyledons. The species that must be 
retained in this genus® are at least two 
hundred in number. They may present 
great differences in flower‘ and fruit from 
those described above, and it is on these 
differences that a certain number of sections 
have been founded, which are considered as 
distinct genera by more than one author. 
Thus the Sennas’ (Fr., Sénés ; figs. 96-102) possess seven fertile 
stamens, of which the anterior are most developed, with the fruits 
bivalve or often incompletely dehiscent, and containing vertically or 
horizontally flattened seeds. This section has been subdivided into 
Chamesenna,’ in whose bivalve, often much flattened pod the seeds 
are also compressed parallel with the valves; Chamejistula,’ whose 
pod opens incompletely, and contains horizontally flattened seeds ; 
Cassia (Senna) obovata. 
Fie. 96. 
Longitudinal section of flower (3). 
1In C. floribunda the summit of the style 
is a long narrow hollow cone opening by a little 
terminal pore. 
2 They have two coats. 
3H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., vi. 337.— 
Bentu., Fl. Austral, ii. 280.—Harv. & Sonp., 
Fl. Cap., ii. 271.—Watr., Rep, i, 812; ii. 
904; v. 559; Amn., i. 257; ii. 443; iv. 595. 
4 We have been able to follow the develop- 
ment of the flower, and the symmetry of its 
parts in C. floribunda, and have found that the 
flower bas two planes cf symmetry, intersecting 
at an angle of 36°. The one belongs only to 
the calyx, passing between sepals 1 and 3, and 
bisecting 2. The other is antero-posterior, di- 
viding the corolla, androceum, and gyneceum 
into two symmetrical halves. 
5 Senna GmRTIN., Fruct., ii. 312, t. 146.— 
Roxs., Fl. Ind., ii. 839.—BatxKa, in Bot. Zeit. 
(1854), 12; Mon. der Cassien Gruppe Senna, 
Prague (1866).— BentH., Gen., 572, 2. To 
this BentHam adds the section Herpetica (DC., 
Prodr., ii. 492). 
5 DC., loc. cit., 493, sect. v.icJace., Icon., 
t. 74, 460; Hort. Schenbr., t. 208, 270.—K., 
Mimos., t. 41-48.—CoinaD., op. cit., t. 3, 7, 
11.—Biscu., in Bot. Zeit. (1850), t. 10.— Bot. 
Mag,, t. 810, 1829, 2638.—Bot. Reg., t. 109, 
1310. 
7 DC., loc. cit., 490, sect. ii—Tacg., Icon., 
t. 70-73.—K., Mimos., t. 38-40.—Cozzap., 
op. cit., t. 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18.—Sweer., Fi. 
Austral., t. 32.—Bot, Mag., t. 633.— Bot. Reg., 
t. 83, 856. 
