irregular, for the most part racemose, large and handsome ; the pedicels often furnished with
bracteoles.
Calyx free, generally 5-cleft, imbricated in aestivation. Torus expanded, adnate to the cup
of the calyx, terminating in a perigynous ring. Corolla more or less irregular, ' sometimes
papilionaceous, more frequently the petals are free, expanding, or somewhat rosaceous, occasionally
wanting, aestivation irregularly imbricative. Stamens more or less unequal, always perigynous ;
filaments rarely united. Ovary solitary, with several ovules. Legumes 1, or several, seeded
dehiscent, or rarely indéhiscent, often transversely divided by cellular partition's, more rarely’
by firm chartaceous laminæ ( Calharlocarpus. J Seed usually compressed, sometimes horizontal,
that is, with the edges not the sides of the cotyledons opposed to the valves, sometimes
covered with pulp. Albumen usually wanting, but in Cathartocarpus copious, enclosing folia-
ceous cotyledons. Embryo straight, cotyledons usually large, plumule conspicuous. °
Though for convenience, I have adopted this as a sub-order; it seems clear, from the complexity
of structure observable among its genera, that it can scarcely as it new stands be admitted
as such, since the only constant point of difference between it and Papilionaceae rests in
its straight not curved embryo. The indéhiscent cylindrical legumes, firm transverse partitions,
and albuminous seed of the first section of Cassia ( C a th a rto ca rp u sj point that out as
a good genus, though it is to be wished it had a more euphonious name. This sub-order is
divided into three tribes Geoffreae, Cassieae and Detarieae.
Tribe 8. G eoffreæ—Corolla papilionaceous or nearly so, stamens monadelphous or dia-
delphous, perigynous.
To this tribe only one Indian genus belongs, namely, A ra ch is, which, with the exception
of the straight embryo has scarcely any affinity with it, being more properly referable to
Vicieae. It is remarkable for maturing its seed under ground. At first the ovary is supported
on a short stalk which afterwards elongates to several inches, in a downward direction, until it
forces the ovary into the soil where it remains and ripens its seed. The plant is much cultivated
on account of its seed, which, under the name of ground, or pig, nuts are roasted and eat like
cushew-nuts which they much resemble in taste. They are besides oleagenous a rare occurrence
in this order.
Cassieae. --Stamens distinct, or rarely monadelphous at the base (and then the corolla
though not papilionaceous is irregular.)
To this tribe belong many very handsome trees and shrubs, some very useful ones and
many more that can scarcely be said to partake of either character. A few examples’must
suffice to illustrate the two first classes—which however I take indiscriminately without attempting
to classify them. t • v; •
G u ila n d in a B o n d u c or Bonduccella, they are the same plant, is a handsome diffuse
shrub armed with numerous prickles, forming an impenetrable fence. The globular very hard.
Seed are intensely bitter and esteemed a powerful tonic. The infusion of them is said to be a
very effectual remedy in cases of intermittent fever, and as such, has been recommended along
with the extract of Cocculus cordifolins as a substitute for Peruvian bark, and as an excellent
adjuvant in cases where the cinchona does not agree with the stomach. C a e sa lp in ea S a p a n
the red wood of commerce, is extensively exported from this country as a dye wood, Hcema-
to x y lo n Campechianum, the logwood of commerce, is employed for similar purposes, and in
habit the two trees are considerably alike. P o in cia n a is a genus much more remarkable’ for the
splendour and beauty of its flowers than for any useful purpose to which it is turned. The
gaudy princes feather or peacock’s pride of this country (P o in c ia n a p ulcheriena) is everywhere
met with, P . elatior with white flowers is, though less known, a finer plant, the tree itself beino-
a very handsome one. Sir W. J. Hooker has figured in the Botanical Magazine one from
Madagascar P. regia, more remarkable than either for the splendour of its flowers. Ptero-
lobium lacerans a common jungle shrub of this country is curious on account of its legume,
which is 1-seeded, ending in a knife-shaped wing. It is a most thorny plant well adapted for
fences, but rather diffuse—Pa rkin so n ia , H a rdw ic k ia , Jonesia, and Humboldtia, are all fine
plants, but principally interesting on account of the celebrated persons whose names they bear.
The Tamarind (T ama rin d u s in d ica ) on the other hand, is most useful both on account of the
value of its wood and fruit, but on these it is unnecessary to dwell. I may however mention
what is less generally known, that tamarind stones, reduced to fine powder and made into a thick
paste with water, has the property, when merely smeared on the skin, of rapidly promoting
suppuration in indolent, or what are called blind, boils. The same powder boiled into a paste
with thin glue forms one of the strongest wood cements. Cassia is a very large genus containing
some most useful plants, but generally its species are of little value under any point
of view. The section Cathartocarpus all the species of which are trees and of great beauty,
ought in my opinion to constitute a distinct genus as proposed by both Willdenow and Persoon,
but reunited by DeCandolle. The flowers sufficiently correspond with those of the rest of the genus,
but the cylindrical indehiscent legumes with hard transverse partitions and albuminous ! seed enveloped
in pulp (for such they certainly are in C. fis tu la , C. R o x b u rg h ii, C. bacillus Roxb. also in
C. rhombifolia, Roxb. (if distinct from C .fis tu la ) all tend to their separation from the rest of the
genus, and I cannot help remarking that were genera generally separated from each other-by
equally sufficient marks, we should have little reason to complain of excessive multification of
them which is not always the case now. The sweet pulp which envelopes the seed of C. fis tu la is
a powerful but mild aperient, a small quantity producing the effect, it further possesses the
property of colouring the urine of a deep brown colour, a fact, of which patients requiring to
use it habitually, ought to be warned, as I have known such refuse to take it, on the supposition
that it had a tendency to heat the system and excite a bilious habit, even when doing them
much good. To what extent the other species enjoy this property I am unable to say, in C.
rhombifolia Roxb. the pulp is bitter. None of the species of true Cassia, have equally pulpy
legumes, hence it is not to be expected that they should possess similar virtues, but cathartic
properties of great energy are found in the leaves of several, more especially of those belonging
to the section S enna, all of which are readily distinguished by their very compressed falcate
legumes. Of these, the Cassia (Senna) lanceolata and C. elongata are the most important,
several millions of pounds weight of the dried leaves being annually consumed in Europe,
exclusive of what is used in this and their native countries Egypt and Arabia. C. obtusa
a procumbent plant common in this country is used by the natives for similar purposes. Dr.
Lindley considers the C. lanceolata of Royle’s Illustrations and of our Prodromus, which are
the same plant, distinct from the true C. lanceolata of Forskahl and names it C. elongata.
He remarks of it, “ the dried leaves form the finest Senna of commerce known by the name
of Tinnevelly Senna” under “ C. lanceolata Forsk” he describes a species differing from ours
in having a sessile gland above the base of the petiol, and pods, linear, villous, compressed,
incurved : to this species he appends the following note.
“ As this sheet was about to be printed off I was so fortunate as to meet with the C. la n ceolata
of Forskahl, in a collection of Arabian plants (No. 71) collected by Dr. S. Fischer, in
palm grounds in the valley of Fatm6, flowering at the end of February. T he leaflets are in
4 or 5 pairs, never more ; -oblong, and either acute or obtuse, not at all ovate or lanceolate, and
perfectly free from downiness even when young; the petiols have consta n tly a small round
brown gland a little above the base. The pods are erect, oblong, tapering to the base, obtuse,
turgid, mucronate, rather falcate, especially when young, at which time they are sparingly
covered with coarse scattered hairs. The species is therefore quite distinct from C. elongata,
as I at first supposed; and consequently, excellent as the Tinnevelly Senna is, a sort of still
finer quality may be expected from India, as soon as this, the true Senna of Mecca shall have
been introduced into the Peninsula.”
A variety of other species of this genus are recorded as possessing medical or other useful
properties, but of these I shall only mention C. auriculata, the bark of which is constantly
used for tanning and C. sophora and C. a la ta , the latter much cultivated in gardens in this
country as an ornamental plant, the juice of the leaves of both of which is considered a
sovereign remedy against ringworm and other similar herpetic eruptions,* a virtue which I
am much disposed-to doubt. Cassia a la ta is easily known by its pods being apparently nearly
square through the valves winged on the back.
* I may here mention that the leaves of the Margosa tree Azadirachta indica, which in native practice have
been long used as a remedy against pustular eruptions, have recently been tried to a great extent by a medical
officer, and found a most efficient application. He x-educes the leaves to a pulp by beating them in a mortar, they
are then fit for use. Applied in this form he says they act like a charm in removing the most intractable forms of
Psora and other pustular eruptions.