Volume 4 > Part 1 > Year 1984 > Page 105 > Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae > Cassia

3. Cassia bakeriana Craibwfo-0000192840

Kew Bull. 1911: 45; Gagnep. in Fl. Gén. I.-C. 2: 170. 1911; Craib in Fl. Siam. En. 1: 508. 1928; de Wit, Webbia 11: 205. 1955.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Tree up to 10 m high; all younger parts densely hairy. Leaves with 5–7 pairs of leaflets; rhachis 15–40 cm, light-brown velvety pubescent as the 2–4 cm long petiole. Stipules narrow-lanceolate, pointed towards both ends, attached in the middle. Leaflets oblong-oblanceolate, 6–8 by 1.5–3 cm, both ends ± rounded; apex with a small sharp point; on both sides ± densely velvety hairy; petiolule 2 mm long. Racemes lateral, 5–12 cm long, 1–few together; main axis yellowish pubescent. Bracts lanceolate, apex long-pointed, hairy on both sides, 7–12 by 3 mm at base; bracteoles same shape but only ⅓ of the lenght. Flowers large (the largest Cassia flowers in Thailand) on a 6 cm, thinly pubescent pedicel, more densely hairy in a ring just below the calyx. Sepals ovate-lanceolate with acute apex, 9–12 by 2–3 mm, hairy on both surfaces. Petals ovate-lanceolatc, pinkish, 3.5–4.5 by 1–2.5 cm with a 5 mm long, narrow claw. Stamens 10; 3 long with filaments 3.5–5 cm long, swollen in the middle, anthers 5 mm long, ovoid, opening by apical and basal slits; 4 with filaments only half the length but with anthers nearly twice as long, opening by slits; reduced stamens 3 small, with filaments 1–1.5 cm long and very small anthers. Ovary 4 cm long, recurved, on a 1–1.5 cm long stipe, white pubescent with a subapical, punctiform stigma. Pods terete, softly grey to brownish velvety pubescent, 30–40 cm long, 1–1.5 cm diam. Seeds 30–40, separated by spongy septa.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Suthep – type: Hosseus 478 -K), Phrae, Lampang, Phitsanulok (Thung Salaeng Luang); EASTERN: Nakhon Ratchasima (Chan Thuek, Khao Sisiat A); CENTRAL: Saraburi.

Distribution : Burma.

Ecology : altitudes 300–1,000 m, mainly on limestone in open dipterocarp forests.

Vernacular : Chaiyaphruk (ชัยพฤกษ์)(Northern); kalapaphruk (กัลปพฤกษ์)(Central); kan (กานล์)(Khmer-Eastern).

Uses: Timber. Pods used as in Cassia fistula.

Notes: A hybrid Cassia bakeriana by C. fistula is cultivated under the name Rainbow shower.