Cassia didymobotrya Fresen.
-
Authority
Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.
-
Family
Caesalpiniaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - Pubescent shrub or small tree to 3 m, sometimes evidently malodorous. Leafstalk eglandular, 1.5-2 dm; leaflets (7-)9-15 pairs, elliptic, (1.5-)2-4 cm long, .7-1.7 cm wide, 2.4-3.5 r, mucronate, puberulent. Stipules persistent, broadly ovate-acuminate, to 1 cm. Flowers imbricate and concealed in bud by large, black-green bracts, in robust (to 3 dm) terminally clustered racemes. Sepals subequal, olive-green, ca 1 cm; corolla golden-yellow, 3-4 cm diam; functional stamens 7, 2 longer, filaments of all shorter than anthers; ovary villous. Legume dehiscent, stipitate, oblong, flat, 8-10 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide, asymmetrically short-beaked; valves becoming blackish-brown, subcoriaceous to membranous, transverse-lined and expressed over seeds at maturity. Seeds numerous.
-
Discussion
C. nairobensis Bailey & Bailey (1941) C. myrsifolia Hort. CN 2n = 28 (Sethi, 1930). I have collected this species in both residential and institutional plantings and it is listed in standard horticultural references—sometimes as C. nairobensis. It is slightly naturalized. Small (1933), reiterated by Long and Lakela (1971), records it on vacant lots in Miami (3 ancient validating sheets at NY). But I have seen no modern collections and Avery (in litt.) with an intimate knowledge of the Miami area says “not known to me.”
-
Distribution
Urban California, Arizona, possibly Florida. Cult, ornamental, slightly established. All year. Native of tropical Africa; introduced and cultivated also in Asiatic tropics.
United States of America North America| Africa|