354 



Dr. Wallich on Cassia La?iceolala. 



[Afril 



its place of growth, (Seringapatam), and lastly from native specimens 

 which I have myself had an opportunity of examining, I believe to be 

 a distinct species from the Egyptian C. obovata, and which I suggest 

 may be called C. Burmanni. I must observe here, that Cassia Senna 

 has not been introduced into Roxburgh's printed Flora Indica, although 

 it is inserted both in his Hortus Bengalensis and the MS. Synopsis 

 quoted above; but his Senna obtusa is mentioned in all three works, 

 (under the genus Cassia in the two last). 



There are, then, two species of Cassia which undoubtedly produce 

 the Senna of commerce, both being exclusively natives of Egypt and 

 Arabia; and a third distinct species, which belongs to the continent of 

 India, is said by Roxburgh to yield a substitute for that article. The 

 following is a synoptical view of them all. 



1. Cassia lanceolata, Forskal, produces the best sort of leaves, and is 

 the subject of my present observations. 



2. Cassia obovata, Collad. loc. cit. p. 92, t. 15, f. 1, (with exclusion 

 of the citation from Barman, which belongs to the following species). 



3. Cassia Burmanni. Wall.— C. Senna, Burm. Fl. Ind. p. 96, t. 33, 

 f. 2. — Cassia vel Senna obtusa, Roxb, locis cit. — C. obovata. Wight, 

 Herb, (non Collad.) in Wall. Cat. Herb. Or. 5319 a.— C. Senna, Herbb. 

 Madr. et. Heyn. Ibid. b. et. c— C. Senna Hb. Russ. Ibid. d. The 

 plant which I gathered on the banks of the Irawaddy at Paghamew 

 (Ibid, e.) is probably this species, though I cannot speak with positive 

 certainty, as neither my Burmese Herbarium nor my manuscript notes 

 respecting it are with me in this country. This species has not been 

 found in Hindustan proper. It would be very desirable to try still 

 further the efficacy of its leaves ; and I beg to recommend the subject 

 to the consideration of those who may have the means of making the 

 experiment. 



About eight years ago I succeeded in raising a number of plants from 

 seeds found in pods among a batch of Senna which had recently arrived 

 from Arabia. They proved to be ForskaTs C. lanceolata. Some diffi- 

 culties were experienced at the commencement in preserving the 

 plants and making them produce good seeds ; but they were gradually 

 surmounted, and, we have at this time (August, 1834), several plots of 

 land in cultivation with the species ; the greatest proportion of the 

 plants being in a healthy and vigorous condition, full of flowers., and 

 showing successive crops of ripe pods. The unusual degree of heat 

 during the late dry season sensibly affected some of the individuals, 

 by causing a disease in the root which killed them during the rains ; 

 still our crop is far better than I had any ground for anticipating : a 

 good quantity of seeds has already been obtained, and a further supply 

 remains still to be reaped, which will enable us to raise a much larger 

 proportion of plants next year. The mode of cultivation which has 



