CASP] 



Qifyz Creatfurs of 33atanjh 



232 



dilated at the base. The fruit is of the 

 size of a large apple. C. edulis is a tree, 

 native of, and cultivated in, Mexico. Its 

 fruit, when eaten, has an agreeable taste, 

 but induces sleep, and is unwholesome. 

 The seeds are poisonous. The bark of the 

 tree is bitter, and it, as well as the leaves, 

 and also the seeds, when burnt and re- 

 duced to powder, are used medicinally in 

 Mexico. {Seeman.) [M. T. M.] 



CASP ART A. A genus of begoniads, con- 

 sisting of scandent (climbing) plants grow- 

 ing in Peru. The staminate flowers have 

 four, and the pistillate six, sepals ; anthers 

 oblong, obtuse, the filaments very short, 

 not united ; style deciduous, tripartite, its 

 branches papillose not tortuous. Seed- 

 vessel triangular, with three mucronate 

 horns of a cartilaginous-corky consistence, 

 attenuated at the apex into a short beak ; 

 placentas having two lamellas. There are 

 three known species, viz., C. hirta, C. co- 

 lumnaris, and C. coccinea. These species 

 were formerly included in Begonia. The 

 genus is named after Dr. Caspary, an emi- 

 nent botanist of Bonn. [J. H. B.] 



CASSAREEP. The inspissated juice of 

 the cassava, which is highly antiseptic, 

 and forms the basis of the "West Indian 

 pepper-pot. 



CASSAVA. The purified fecula of the 

 roots of the mandioc plant, Janipha Ma- 

 nihot (also called Manihot utilissima and 

 Jatropha Manihot), and J. Lceflingii. The 

 Cassava juice, though at first poisonous, is 

 rendered harmless by inspissation. In this 

 state it is called cassareep, and is mixed 

 with molasses to form an intoxicating 

 liquor ; it also forms a delicious sauce. 



CASSE DU LEVANT. (Fr.) AeaeiaFar- 

 nesiana. 



CASSE-LUNETTE. (Fr.) Centaurea Cya- 

 nus ; and also Euphrasia officinalis. 



CASSE-PIERRE. (Fr.) Saxifraga gra- 

 nulata. 



CASSEBEERA. A genus of polypodia- 

 ceous ferns, belonging to the Cheilanthece, 

 and distinguished by having the sori 

 slightly within the margin, though termi- 

 nal on the veins, and generally combined 

 in pairs or three together on the emargi- 

 nate lobes, and covered by one indusium. 

 The veins are free but not readily seen. 

 The fronds are coriaceous, three parted, 

 pinnate, or bi-pinnate. There are three 

 or four species, found in Brazil and Buenos 

 Ayres. [T. M.] 



CASSELIA. A limited genus of small 

 shrubs or herbs from Brazil, belonging to 

 the order Yerbenacea?. They have mem- 

 branaceous opposite entire or serrated 

 leaves, and small flowers in lax few- 

 flowered axillary racemes. The calyx is 

 tubular ; the corolla funnel-shaped, with a 

 short cylindrical tube, and a five-cleft limb ; 

 there are four didynamous stamens hidden 

 in the lower part of the tube, and having 

 very short filaments and two-celled an- 



thers, which open longitudinally ; and the 

 ovary is two-celled, with a single ovule in 

 each cell, the style equalling in length the 

 shorter stamens. The drupe has two 

 stones, and is covered by the persistent 

 calyx. This genus is separated from Ta- 

 monea by the fruit, which in the latter has 

 a single four-celled stone. [W. C] 



CASSIA. This genus is of much impor- 

 tance in a medical point of view, from 

 its producing the well-known drug called 

 senna. It is a member of the leguminous 

 family (Fabaccce) ; and is known by its five 

 unequal sepals, its five petals of a yellow 

 colour, not papilionaceous, and its ten 

 stamens, three of which are long, four 

 short, and three sterile or abortive, the 

 anthers opening by pores at the top. The 

 species are very numerous, and consist of 

 trees, shrubs, or herbs, with compound 

 pinnated leaves. 



The leaflets of several species constitute 

 what are known in medicine as senna 

 leaves. These are of various shapes, and 

 derived from various sources. Alexandrian 

 senna consists of the lance-shaped leaflets 

 of C. acutifolia, and the obovate ones of 

 C. obovata, united with the leaves of other 

 plants, which latter are readily detected, as 

 the true Cassia leaflets, whatever their 

 form, are unequal at the base, from the 

 larger size of one side of the base of the 

 leaflet as compared with the other. The 

 pods of the two species of Cassia are also 

 mixed with the leaves, and possess similar 

 properties. East Indian or Tinivelly 

 senna is a very fine kind, and consists of 

 the large lance-shaped leaflets of C. elon- 

 gata. Aleppo senna is the produce of 

 C. obovata, a native of Northern Africa, 

 but cultivated in the East Indies and else- 

 where. There are other kinds of senna 

 native to and grown in India, Northern 

 Africa, the "West Indies, &c. &c, but they 

 are of less importance and value than those 

 above mentioned. The leaves of a North 

 American species, C. marylandica, possess 

 similar properties. The heavy nauseous 

 taste and smell of senna are due to a 

 volatile oil, while the purgative effects 

 seem to be due to a chemical substance 

 known as cathartin. 



The bark and roots of several of the 



Indian species are used as applications to 



ulcers and various skin diseases, as well as 



internally in diabetes and other disorders ; 



they are likewise used for similar purposes 



in the Mauritius and the West Indies. 



I The seeds of C. Absus, a native of Egypt 



I and of India, are bitter, aromatic, and 



I slightly mucilaginous. They are used in 



Egypt as a remedy for ophthalmia, as 



i are the seeds of C. auriculata in India, 



where also the bark of this shrub is 



employed by the natives in tanning leather. 



C. occidentalis, a native of both the Indies, 



is now naturalised in the Mauritius, where 



the natives use the roasted seeds as a 



substitute for coffee, and with good effect 



! in certain cases of asthma. It is related 



that Dr. Livingstone brought the seeds of 



i a plant, which he found cultivated in the 



