TMrneA 

 CASSIA FLORIDA. (Nat. order Legurmnosse.) 



CASSIA. JWk».— GEN CHAR. Sepals 5, somewhat unequal, much imbricate, the outer ones the smallest, scarcely connected at the base. 

 ^Petals 5, spreading, nearly equal or the lower outer ones rather larger. Stamens usually 10, free, either all nearly equal and perfect or 2 or 3 lower ones 

 larger or on lunger filaments, and 3 or 4 upper ones reduced to small staminodia ; anthers when perfect opening at the end in pores or in shurt lateral 

 slits. Ovary with several ovules, incurved, tapering into a short style. Pod cylindrical or flat, indehiscent or 2 valved. Seeds oblong or obovate, trans- 

 verse, with fleshy albumen, cotyledons flat or rarely folded, usually cordate ; radicle short, straight. Trees, shrubs or herbs, leaves abruptly pinnate, the 

 leaflets opposite. Flowers yellow or very rarely reddish-purple or white, iu axillary or terminal racemes or solitary. Bracts usually deciduous. Bracteoles 

 none. — Cathartocarpus, Don. Senna, Qcert. Cham»fiatula, Cham;esenna, Charnaacrista and Fistula, DC. Absus, Prosoaperma and Psilorhegma, Vog. 



CASSIA FLORIDA. (Vabl) A middling sized tree, trunk pretty straight and covered with smooth olive colored bark, 

 branches few spreading, leaves alternate pinnate 6-12 inches long, leaflets 4-14 pair short petioled opposite oblong entire somewhat 

 emarginate with a bristle point, smooth shining, the exterior pairs largest, 1-3 inches long by J-l inch broad, petioles smooth 

 channelled without glands, stipules minute subulate caducous, panicles terminal very large erect ovate composed of many alternate 

 corymbiform racemes, peduncles pubescent, flowers numerous large bright yellow, pedicels subtended by an oblong-lanceolate concave 

 long pointed bracteole, calyx segments unequal pale yellow roundish concave reflexed about ^-rd the length of the corol corol with the 

 upper petal small long clawed and oboordate, the other 4 nearly equal and almost round, stamens 7 fertile differing much in size and 3 

 barren and small, legumes linear thin, swelled a little at the seeds smooth, both margins rounded 6-8 inches lon» seeds many thin 

 oval of a dark brown color. W A. Prod. p. 288. Senna Sumatrana, Roxb. Fl. Ind ii. p. 347. 



This tree is common in a wild state in ihe jungles quite at, the south of this Presidency and in Ceylon, and it is common everywhere 

 as a planted tree in avenues, topes, gardens, &c, it is of rapid growth and ornamental, the wood is of a yellowish brown color sometimes beautifully 

 marked with irregular black streaks, close grained, hard and durable, but not stiff, works kindly with a smooth surface and stands a aood volish 

 a cubic foot unseasoned weighs 68-70 lbs., and when seasoned 58 lbs., and its specific gravity is '928, it is well adapted for furniture but seems to 

 be little known or used in this Presidency, in Birmah it is used for mallets, helves and walking sticks, i?i Ceylon it is ihe principal fuel used for 

 the Locomotives, and it is said to have as good caloric powers as any wood known in the island, hi Ceylon it is called W'aa and in Tamil 

 Manje konne. ' 



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