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

2. Cassia grandis L.f.wfo-0000163908

Suppl: 230. 1781; de Wit, Webbia 11: 212. 1955; K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen in Fl. C.L.V. 18: 80. 1980. Fig. 26: 5–6.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Deciduous tree (see below) up to 20 m high with buttressed trunk; young branches and inflorescence covered with short brownish to white wool. Leaves with 10–20 pairs of leaflets. Petioles 2–3 cm, woolly; rhachis 10–25 cm. Stipules minute. Leaflets with short petiolule, subcoriaceous, elliptic-oblong, 3–5 by 1–2 cm, upper surface glossy, lower woolly; apex and base rounded. Racemes lateral, 10–20 cm long with on 20 flowers. Bracts ovate, acute, 5 mm long, caduceus; bracteoles smaller inserted at base of the 1–2 cm long pedicel. Sepals pubescent on both sides, obovate, rounded, 5–8 min long, finally reflexed. Petals obovate, 15 mm long, short-clawed, first red, later pink, finally orange. Stamens 10; 3 long with recurved filaments, 3 cm long, anthers pubescent, 2.5 mm long, opening by apical large and smaller, basal slits; 5 shorter with straight filaments and smaller anthers; 2 reduced stamens 2 mm long. Ovary silky tomentose; style short; stigma small. Pods woody, rugose, glabrous, compressed-cylindric, blackish, 20–40 cm long, 3–4 cm diam. Seeds 20–40.

Thailand : Widely cultivated, sometimes escape from gardens.

Distribution : Tropical America (type from Surinam), cultivated through out the tropics.

Ecology : It is said to be deciduous in Thailand and N Malaya, evergreen in Java. Flowering: February–March.

Vernacular : Kalaphruk (กาฬพฤกษ์)(Central)

CommonName : Pink shower.

Uses: Ornamental.