K. 0. LEGUMTNOSiE. 475 



A gregarious, pubescent, tall shrub. Branches virgate, 

 irregularly-scattered, sometimes horizontally, sometimes ver- 

 tically arranged. Leaves nearly sessile, underside finely 

 grey-downy, 3-4in. long. Leaflets 8-12 pair, obovate-oblong, 

 or elliptic-oblong, obtuse, mueronate, f-lin. long, with a 

 piliform gland at the base of each pair ; stipules large, folia- 

 ceous, persistent. Flowers yellow in terminal corymbose, 

 bracteate panicels, the lowest branches in the axils of leaves, the 

 upper supported by pairs of stipules. Sepals concave, unequal. 

 Petals clawed, crisped on margin, -|-1 in. long. Pod 3-4 by fin., 

 then hairy, ligulate, few-seeded, glabrous, flexible, dark-brown, 

 with a distinct space between the unseriate seeds (J. G. Baker). 



Parts used : — The bark and seeds. 



Use : — The Vytians reckon the seeds amongst their refri- 

 gerants and attenuants, and prescribe them in electuary, in 

 cases in which, the habit is preternaturally heated or depraved. 

 They also consider the powder of the dry seeds as a valuable 

 external remedy (blown into the eye), in certain stages of 

 ophthalmia. 01 the electuary the dose is a small teaspoonful 

 twice daily (Ainslie). 



Dr. Kirkpatrick brings to notice the astringent properties 

 of the bark, and speaks favorably of the use of the seeds as an 

 application to the eyes in chronic purulent conjunctivitis 

 (Catalogue of Mysore Drugs. Ph. Ind.) 



The Singhalese pull the twigs and hold them in their hands, 

 or apply them to their heads for the coolness which they 

 diffuse : and they use the leaves in the S. of the island as a 

 substitute for tea (Tennant). 



422. C. obovata, Goliad, h.f.b.l, ii. 264. 

 Syn. : — Cassia Senna, Linn. Senna obtusa, Roxh. 

 Eng. : — Country Senna. 

 Vern. : — Bhui-tarwad (Bom.). 



Habitat : — The Western Peninsula, Mysore and South India, 

 especially the Coromandel coast. 



Sub-glabrous, scarcely shiubby, l-4ft. high. Leaf-rachis 



