Cassia surattensis Burm.f.

  • 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

    Cassia surattensis Burm.f.

  • Description

    Species Description - Glabrate tree or shrub with puberulent young growth. Leafstalk (6-) 10-22 cm with substipitate-ovoid to cylindric-subclavate glands between several (usually 2) of the proximal leaflet pairs; leaflets (5-)6-8(-10) pairs, petiolulate, elliptic or obovate-elliptic, acute to rounded, slightly enlarging distally, (2-)3-8 cm, 1.7-2.2 r, pale beneath. Stipules falcate-subulate, to 1 cm, deciduous or semipersistent. Flowers in axillary and (or) terminally congested racemes, 6-10 cm. Pedicels 1.5-3 cm; bracts somewhat persistent; sepals unequal, inner ca 9-10 mm; corolla yellow, 3-5 cm diam, slightly irregular; petals short-clawed; stamens 9-10 on short filaments, the lower slightly elongated. Legume tardily dehiscent, stipitate, oblong, flat, 7-20 cm long, 1.2-1.9 cm wide; valves thick-papery or coriaceous.

  • Discussion

    CN n = 14, 28 (Pantulu, 1960, as C. glauca); 2n = 28 (Tandon and Bhat, 1970; Sampath and Ramanathan, 1949, as C. glauca). Most cultivated specimens of Cassia surattensis are from the Fairchild Garden but I have collected this plant several times in the Miami and Key West areas, Florida, and in Brownsville, Texas. It is a common street tree in Key West, Florida and often known as C. beareana. But some C. beareana Hort. is C. afrofistula Brenan. George Avery (in litt.) says that Caesalpinia mexicana is sold as Cassia surattensis in Miami. In the United States there are two forms of this species whose taxonomy and nomenclature are uncertain. Bentham (1871) pointed to a large- and smallleaved form but stated that he could not distinguish two varieties (C. glauca Lam. and C. suffruticosa Kõnig) among Indian material. West hemisphere types fall into two groups as follows. Their taxonomic validity is strengthened by Pantulu’s chromosome numbers cited below.

  • Distribution

    Subtropical Florida, s Texas, urban California. Occasionally elsewhere under glass. Cult, ornamental. April-Nov. Old World tropics, planted and naturalized in warm regions of New World.

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