Botanical Name - Cassia alata

----- C. alata, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-264. Linn. Vern. Vilayati-agati, Deo-mardan, Hind.

----- A handsome small tree introduced from the W. indies. Found in cultivation and sometimes run wild. Common in Aurangabad. It has large leaves 1-2 ft. long, and large bracteate racemes of flowers. Leaflets 8-12 pairs, oblong from an oblique base, obtuse, 2-6 in. long. Flowers on short pedicels, in spike-like pedunculate racemes, the buds developed in large, yellow caducous bracts. Petals bright yellow with darker veins ; broad-ovate, 1 1/4 in. long. Pod dehiscent, rigid, 6 by 2/3 in., a crenulated longitudinal wing on each value.

----- C. OCCIDENTALIS, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-263. A common weed or under shrub. Leaves 6 in. long, foetid; Leaflets 2-4 in long, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate. Flowers 1/2 - 2/3 in. diam., petals yellow with reddish veins. Pod 3-in. long compressed glabrous. Common in banks and forest road-sides. It is employed in cutaneous maladies, and as an aperiend.

----- C. BICAPSULARIS, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-263. A handsome-flowered shrub introduced and cultivated. Leaflets 3/4-1 in. Flowers bright yellow in copious corymbose racemes as long as the leaves. Pods membranous, curved, 6 in. long by 1/2 in. thick.

----- C. GLAUCA, Lam. ; F.B.I. II-265. Brandi's Ind. Trees, 255. Is another introduced shrub, much planted and noticeable for its profusion of pale yellow flowers. Leaflets 4-10 pair, 1-3 in. long, glands at the base of the 2-3 lowest pairs. Flowers in axillary corymbose racemes. Pod thin, dehiscent, glabrous, 4-8 in. long. Flowers throughout the year.

----- The following are common weeds of road-sides, river-banks and fallow lands.

----- C. ABSUS, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-265. Vern. Chaksu, Hind. An erect annual 1-2 ft. high. The powdered seeds are used in more eyes.

----- C. SOPHERA, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-262. A diffuse under-shrub closely alied to C. occidentalis. The seeds are used in diabets.

----- C. TORA, Linn. ; F.B.I. II-263. Vern. Chakunda, Hind. An annual weed. The leaves are aperient. It has long narrow pods with angular seeds known as " Kuari." They are used in tanning and a blue dye is also prepared from them. All three are used in skin-diseases.