Cassia alata L.
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Authority
Irwin, Howard S. 1966. Contributions to the botany of Guiana. IV. Legumonosae Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 15: 112-128.
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Family
Caesalpiniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Distribution and Ecology - BRAZIL. Amapa: Rio Urucaua, Irwin 48781. SURINAME. Wilhelmina Gebergte, Lucie R., Maguire, Schulz, Soderstrom, & Holmgren 53916, 54145.
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Discussion
A shrub of pantropic distribution, often forming extensive stands, found in Guiana mainly along rivers and in coastal areas, but widely introduced elsewhere, partly in connection with alleged medicinal value. The Guiana material varies most noticeably in the degree of crenation of the fruit valve wings; in general the collections from eastern areas have more pronouncedly crenate wings than those from the lower Orinoco.
C. alata and C. reticulata are not readily separable in the herbarium except when in fruit. However, when compared in vivo under natural conditions, they are easily distinguished by several characters. A summary of the most consistent of these characters is given in Table 3, with special reference to Guiana populations.
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Distribution
BRAZIL. Amapa: Rio Urucaua, Irwin 48781. SURINAME. Wilhelmina Gebergte, Lucie R., Maguire, Schulz, Soderstrom, & Holmgren 53916, 54145.
Brazil South America| Suriname South America|