CASSIA ROXBURGHIL (Nat. order Legumiuosse.) 



For Geii. Cbar. sec letter press to PI. clxxix. 



CASSIA RrOXBURGHII. (DC.) A small or middling sized tree, tolerably straight, covered with deeply cracked brown 

 colored bark, branches uuuierous beautifully drooping, youug shoots with the petioles and peduncles pubescent, leaves alternate 

 pinnate 6-10 inches long, leaflets 10-20 pairs oblong uuequal sided obtuse or emarginate and mucronate, pubescent beneath, about 1 

 inch long by | inch broad, the margins colored and slightly thickened, petioles channelled, stipules semi-saggitate, racemes axillary 

 solitary much shorter than the leaves, bractes 3 lanceolate the 2 inner (in the base of the pedicel and much smaller than the other, 

 flowers middling sized pink, petals nearly equal, stamens all fertile, the 3 lower much the largest with a double curve below the 

 middle and the anthers with 2 clefts, the 7 upper ones short incu nbent with the anthers opaning by 2 pores, legumes pendulous 

 indehiscent cylindric 8-12 inches long 6-8 lines in diameter, dark brawn fco.'osa and somewhat ligneous, divided by transverse parti- 

 tions into many cells, seeds lodged in a soft white spongy substance. WA. Prod. p. 2S6. Cassia emarginata, Roicb. Fl. hid. ii. 338. 



This tree is very common in a wild slate in the South Arcot, Trichinopo^y, Tanjore, and Tinnevelly districts ; it is extensively 

 planted in gardens for omamentul purposes, and is to be seen in most compounds at Madras ; when in flower it is exceedingly beautiful, it is also 

 wild in Ceylon, and is there calld Ratu-ioda, the wood is clone grained, hard and durable, worki smoothly and stands a good polish, when fresh it 

 is deep rose colored but eventually turns reddish brown. A cubic foot unseasonzd weig'm 75-80 lbs., and when seasoned 63 lbs., and its specific 

 gravity is 1'008 ; it is well adapted for articles of turnery, such as nives of wheels and handles of instruments. 



180 



