Cassia grandis

Primary tabs

Cassia grandis

Description

Semideciduous tree up to 20(-30) m high; young branches and inflorescence covered with whitish rusty lanate indumentum. Leaves with 10-20 pairs of leaflets; stipules minute, triangular, subulate, early caducous; petiole 2-3 cm, lanate; rachis 10-25 cm. Sepals ovate-obtuse, 5-8 mm, pubescent on both surfaces, finally reflexed. Petals at first red, fading to pink and finally orange, the median one red with a yellow patch, 10-15 mm, shortly clawed. Stamens 10 with hirsute anthers: 3 long with filaments up to 30 mm and anthers 2-3 mm, opening by short apical and basal slits; 5 with straight filaments, 7-9 mm and anthers 1-1.5 mm; 2 reduced with filaments c. 2 mm. Ovary tomentose, style short, stigma inconspicuous. Seeds 20-40, ellipsoid, flattened, surrounded by sweetish pulp, 15-20 mm.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); New Guinea present, tropical America present, tropics present
Tropical America; introduced as ornamental all over the tropics.Malesia: several collections seen from the Malay Peninsula, Java and New Guinea..

Uses

The pulp is used like that of Cassia fistula but is more powerful. The wood is reported to be strong and handsome and useful for many purposes.

Citation

Backer & Bakh. f. 1964 – In: Fl. Java: 537
Rudd 1991 – In: Fl. Ceylon: 64.
Irwin & Barneby 1982 – In: Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard.: 30
K. & S.S. Larsen 1984: p. 105. – In: Fl. Thailand: f. 26/5-6
K. & S.S. Larsen 1980: p. 80. – In: Fl. Camb., Laos & Vietnam: pl. 14/5-6
Verdc. 1979 – In: Manual New Guinea Leg., Lae Bot. Bull.: 45
de Wit 1956 – In: Webbia: 212