NOTE ON CASSIA MOSCI1ATA. 
349 
H.B.K. is allied to C. Fistula L. and C. brasiliana Lam.: from the first, it is 
distinguished by its multijugate leaves and shorter racemes ; and from the 
second, by its much smaller legume which is devoid of prominent sutures. 
But it is in its pharmaceutical aspects that I wish to draw the attention of 
the Society to Cassia moschata. Many years since, M. Henry of Paris pub¬ 
lished a notice of a sort of Cassia which had been imported from America and 
had then newly appeared in French commerce.* This drug bore a close resem¬ 
blance to Cassia fistula, differing from it principally in its smaller size, pale- 
coloured, somewhat astringent pulp, thinner septa, and in the legume being at¬ 
tenuated into a point at either extremity. M. Henry published an analysis of 
the extract obtained from this Cassia, and contrasted its properties with that 
afforded by ordinary Cassia fistula, the result showing the two to be exceedingly 
similar. A description of this cassia was also published by Professor Guibourt, 
who expressed the opinion that it might be derived from a species of Cassia 
distinct from C. Fistula L.f Much more recently, my friend Mr. Morson ob¬ 
tained a package of a small variety of Cassia imported from Few Granada, 
which I felt no hesitation in regarding as the Small American Cassia (Petite 
Casse (VAmerique) of the French pharmaciens, and which I now consider I am 
warranted in referring to the Cassia moschata of Humboldt and Bonpland. 
Cassia. Sect. Fistula , DC. Subsect. Fbracteatce. 
C. moschata (H., B., Iv., Nova Genera et Species, vi. 338); arborea; foliolis multijugis, 
oblongis, apice rotundatis, utrinque pubescentibus deinde supra glabrescentibus, an- 
theris glabris, leguminibus cylindricis. 
DC. Prod. ii. 489; Yogel, Synopsis Generis Cassise, 11; Walpers, Pep. i. 812; Catliar- 
tocarpus moschatus, Don, Syst. of Gard. and Bot. ii. 453. 
JAab. Ad isthmum Panama, ubi ab incoiis Canajistola de pur gar vocatur ( Sutton Hayes, 
No. 58) ; ad tluvium Magdalena ( Humboldt et Bonpland, Triana) ; ad ripam fluminis 
Casiquiare paulo infra ostium superius, arbor unicus ab Orinoco, ubi abundare dicitur, 
allatus ( Spruce , No. 3300); ad pagum Villavicencio prope Bogota ( Triana , No. 4376 ). 
Arbor 30-4<0-pedalis, ramulis novellis flaveseenti-pubescentibus. Folia alterna, abrupte 
pinnata, petiolo communi 4-10 poll, longo, pubescente, supra pubescentia ampliore 
liavescente. Foliola 10-18-juga, subopposita vel alterna, oblonga, incequilatera, basi 
utrinque rotundata, apice obtusa, interdum mucronulata, reticulato-vcnosa, 1^-2 poll, 
longa, 6-7 lineas lata, margine integerrimo, pubescente, nervo medio subtus prominente, 
pubescente, pagina foliolorum superiore nitida parce et breviter pilosa vel glabrescente, 
inferiore fuscescenti-pilosa vel puberula. Stipulce triangulares, caclucae. 1lacemi 
laterales, 6-10-pollieares, simplices, graciles, puberuli. Flores llavi, mox rubescentes. 
Fedicelli ad 5 lineas longi, gracillimi, minute pubescentes. Calyx quinquesepalus, pu- 
berulus vel glabrescens, sepalis rotundatis, obtusis, concavis, reflexis. Fetala quinque, 
concava, reticulato-venosa, flava, glabra, subasqualia, semipollicaria; superius ovale, 
longe unguieulatum, altera suborbiculata, breviter unguiculata. Stamina decern, insc- 
qualia, glabra: quatuor inter se cequalia, corolla parum breviora; tria bis triplo vel 
quadruplo longiora, curvata, basi geniculata; tria brevissima, quorum lateralia incurva, 
medium tilamento crasso, dilatato. Antherce staminum quatuor breviorum ellipticae, 
bilobae, basi et apice biporosae, dorso medium versus affix®; antherce staminum trium 
longiorum late ellipticae, birimosce, introrsum dehiscentes, basi affixce; antherce stami- 
num trium brevissimorum birimosae, tribus supradescriptis haud dissimiles sed valde 
mm ores. Ovarium longe stipitatum, hneare, adscendens, falciforme, margine superiore 
basin versus parce pilosum, aliter glabrum. Stigma oblique truncatum. Legumen 
cylindricum, rectum, 1-1^-pedale, lignosum, durum, heve, corticatum, breviter apicula- 
tum vel obtusum, septis transversis numerosis ut in Cassicc Fistula L. legumine (cui 
simillimum) instructum. Semina ovato-rotundata, compressa, nitida, durissima, 3 hneas 
longa, colons cinnamomei, in succo saccharino adstringente immersa. 
The wood-cut represents a raceme of flowers, legume and leaf, (somewhat reduced in 
size) ; on the right, a flower, the sepals and petals of which have been removed; on the left at 
top, the stipitate ovary ; below on the left, an anther of one of the 3 long stamens,—next to it, 
an anther of one of the 4 medium-sized stamens, one of the 2 short lateral stamens and the 
central short stamen with inflated filament (all magnified). 
* Journal de Chimie Medicate ii. (1826) 370. f Hist, des Drop, iii.347. 
YOL. y. 2 r. 
