21 6  Note  on  a  Spurious  Senna,  {"^""iiaT  18^7^5^'"'* 
series,  the  leaves  being  very  similar  throughout  the  group.  Our  plant 
is,  however,  distinguished  from  its  congeners  by  its  short,  very  hairy 
pod,  with  the  hairs  golden  yellow  and  not  appressed. 
I,  Shows  an  entire  leaf  with  a  flower  bud  in  the  axil  of  the  leaf;  2,  the  venation  of  a  leaflet ;  3,  a  sti- 
pule and  4,  the  pod,  natural  size. 
The  following  is  a  discription  of  the  drug  I  have  received  :  The 
twigs  above-mentioned  have  hairy  stems,  and  the  leaves  are  alternate^ 
compound,  with  a  very  short  petiole,  bijugate,  and  the  rachis  ends  in 
an  extremely  fine,  short,  hair-like  point.  The  leaflets,  which  are  so 
closely  placed  as  to  overlap  each  other,  are  entire,  unequal  at  the  base,, 
about  \\  inch  long,  somewhat  elliptic  in  outline,  the  lower  margin  being 
less  curved  than  the  upper ;  they  are  mucronate  at  the  apex.  The 
most  marked  feature,  however,  consists  in  the  venation.  Three  prin- 
cipal veins  start  from  the  base  of  the  leaf,  and  diverging  but  slightly^ 
proceed  nearly  to  the  apex  of  the  leaf.  Each  of  these  three  veins  is 
branched  in  a  pinnate  manner  at  a  very  acute  angle  (about  7°),  so  that 
at  a  casual  glance  the  leaf  appears  furcate-veined.  The  two  lower  leaf- 
lets on  each  leaf  are  smaller  than  the  two  upper  ones.  The  pods  are 
brownish,  about  twice  as  long  as  broad,  and  covered  with  yellowish 
erect  hairs.  The  stipules  are  lanceolate,  with  a  cordate  base,  and  have 
numerous  minute  veins.  The  flowers  are  large  and  yellow,  with  rigid 
scarious  sepals,  and  are  solitary  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves. 
Thinking  it  probable,  since  it  belonged  to  the  same  genus,  it  might 
perhaps  have  the  same  purgative  properties  as  senna,  I  made  two  infu- 
sions, one  of  Cassia  brevipes^  and  the  other  of  Tinnevelly  senna,  each 
in  the  proportions  directed  in  the  British  "  Pharmacopoeia  "  for  infu- 
sion of  senna.    In  appearance  the  two  effusions  were  exceedingly  dif- 
