Leguminosae. 103 
Cassia fistula L. 
Golden Shower, The Indian Laburnum, Purging Cassia. 
Plate XLIII. 
The Golden Shower is a very handsome, moderate-sized tree 
which becomes bare during the winter months, and brings forth, dur- 
ing the early summer or late spring, long racemes of golden yellow 
flowers, which are followed in the fall by long, cylindrical, woody 
pods twenty to thirty inches in length. 
The Golden S.hower is a native of India and Ceylon, growing 
wild in the sub-Himalayan tracts, from the Kashia hills to Peshawar 
in the northwest frontier Province, and extends through Central 
India. It hardly grows taller than twenty feet and has rather droop- 
ing branches. It is suitable to rather dry regions, but thrives also 
in moist districts ; in its native home it ascends to an elevation of 
three thousand feet. 
The trunk of this tree exudes a reddish juice which solidifies and 
becomes gummy. The bark is used in tanning ; a red dye is also 
extracted from it. 
The root, bark, and the pulp of the fruit are employed medi- 
cinally, especially the latter, which is a simple purgative. It is quite 
safe and may be given to children. The bark and leaves are also 
valued, and are used externally in skin diseases, especially in ring- 
worm. 
The flowers, which are exceedingly showy, are used in temple 
ceremonies in Ceylon. 
The wood of the Golden Shower varies from a gray or yellowish 
red to brick red. The heartwood is quite hard, and of small diameter, 
and makes excellent posts, while the sapwood is very large. The 
wood is considered quite durable, but owing to the small size of 
the trees cannot be used for timber. 
In Honolulu the Golden Shower is planted gregariously on ac- 
count of its fine drooping racemes of yellow flowers. Certain streets 
have been planted with Golden Shower only, such as Pensacola 
Street, while others have been planted with its rivals, the Pink 
Shower, Cassia nodosa, and Delonix regia, the flame tree of Mada- 
gascar. 
Cassia grandis Linn. 
Pink Shower or Horse Cassia. 
The American Pink Shower grows to a height of fifty feet or 
more and is an elegant tree with more or less ascending branches. 
