LEGUMINOSJE. 
339 
Iuglandis folio, Sloane, 11.59. pi. 175. f. 1.— Cassia herpe- 
tica, Jacq. Obs. II. t. 45. f. 2. — C. alata, 11. B. et Kunth, VI. 
Ml.— Swartz, Obs. 162 Do. Carol. Prod. II. 492. 
HAB. Fording of Sulphur River, near Bath. Near the 
Ferry. 
FL. Spring and Autumn. 
An erect shrub, 6 feet and more in height: branches simple, 
striated. Leaves large, 1-2 feet in length ; leaflets, the lowest 
pair very close to the axilla, the terminal pair obovato-oblong, 
the rest lineari- oblong, or oblong with the apex rounded, retuse 
with an orange-coloured apicula in the indentation ; snbglabrous, 
minutely punctulated, with numerous minute orange ovoid 
glandules along the midrib on the upper surface ; pubescent be- 
neath ; margined, penninerved: petiole incrassated at the base, 
3-quetrous, plane on the upper surface with the edge raised so 
as to approach subalate, and with the channel thus formed di- 
vided by isthmi, connecting the opposite pairs of petiolules, upon 
which may be detected numerous minute setaceous black abor- 
tive glandules ; the under side of the petiole sharply keeled. 
Stipules about an inch in length, lanceolato-falcate, auriculated 
at the base on the inner side ; the margin reflected, and incras- 
sated, and more or less of an orange colour. Racemes spiked, 
a foot or more in length, terminal, erect, bearing numerous 
large showy yellow flowers. Pedicels very short. Bracteas 
large, roundish-obovate, generally eroded at the apex, concave, 
thin, diaphanous, yellow, loosely imbricated, concealing the 
flower, deciduous. Sepals subequal, similar in every respect to 
the bracteas, but much smaller, and with the apex rounded. 
Petals clawed, roundish, undulato-fimbriated, subequal ; one 
of them more concave than the rest. Stamens, the two largest 
with the anthers abortive recurved and retuse .at the apex; 
another but half their size but similar to them in every other 
respect ; four others, with fertile anthers, of a still smaller size ; 
the three last and smallest abortive. Ovary stipitate, recurved, 
minutely puberulous : stigma obtuse. Pod about 10 inches in 
length. 
This is the most showy of our native Cassias. After flower- 
ing, a young shoot makes its appearance near the root, and the 
old stem decays and dies. Ants are very fond of the flowers. 
The juice of the leaves and buds have been employed in the 
cure of ring-worm, and other cutaneous diseases. The infusion 
has been used, as a tepid bath, in similar cases. The flowers 
and young leaves, beat into a pulp, make an excellent poultice 
for the superficial sores which follow some varieties of impetigo 
and rupia. 
