LEGUMINOS #-CHSALPINIEZ. 151 
name of Canéficier. This species, indigenous, it is said, in Athiopia, 
but at present spread over all warm countries, has 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.' 
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 Laux.? (Canéficier du Brésil), 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 C. javanica L.,* 
timorensis DC., bacillaris L. ¥.,> and marginato Roxs.’ 
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, 
VaEL., Symb., iii, 57.—Jacg., Fragm., t. 85, 
1 It formed part of the electuary catholicon, 
the lénitif, and even the true médecine noire 
of the old French Pharmacopceia ; and is used 
in the confectio Senne of the present English 
one. 
2H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spee., vi. 858.— 
DC., Prodr., n. 3.—Hans., in Trans. Linn. Soc., 
xxiv. 167. 
3 Dict., i. 649.—DC., Prodr., n. 1.—GurIB., 
loc. cit., 347.—ROSENTH., op. cit., 1036.—C. 
Fistula brasiliana Bavu., Pin. 403.—T., Instit., 
619, t. 392 D.—C. Siliqua brasiliana purgatriz 
compressa Los., Ph. Rond., 41.—C. Fistula 
brasiliana, flore incarnato BREYN., Cent.,i.58.— 
C. grandis L. ¥IL., Suppl. 2830.—C. Mollis 
fig. 3. 
4 Spec., 542 (part.)—DC., Prodr., n. 8.— 
C. Fistula sylwestris Rumpu., Herb. Amb., ii. t. 
22.—C. Bacillus Gmrtn., Fruct., i. 318. 
5 Suppl., 231.—DU., Prodr., n. 18.— Cathar- 
tocarpus Bacillus LInDL., in Bot. Reg., t. 881. 
§ C, javaniea Hassx. (nec L.). 
7 Gur, loc. cit., 336.—Mfr. & Det. Dict. 
Mat, Méd., ii. 127; vi., 310, 320.—Brscu., in 
Bot. Zeit. (1850), t. 9.—Pzrrrrpa, Elem. Mat, 
Med., ed. 5, ii. p. ii. 350.— Linpu., Fl, Med., n. 
535-539.— Barxa, in Rot, Zeit. (1854), 12; 
Monogr. der Cassien Grunpe Senna, Prague, 
Ato (1866), t. 1-5. 
