Cassia splendida Vogel

  • 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 splendida Vogel

  • Description

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    Species Description - Reclining, glabrous shrub. Leafstalk 3.5-6 cm, the petiole longer than rachis, a slender, stalked gland present between proximal leaflets; leaflets petiolulate, 2 pairs, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, nearly symmetric, (4-)6-8 cm, 2.5-4 r, coriaceous and shiny above, light beneath. Stipules asymmetrically falcate, 5-8 mm, usually deciduous. Flowers in small axillary racemes to loosely congested panicles, branches often subtended by stipules. Pedicels 2-4 cm; sepals unequal, the longer 1-1.8 cm, broadly elliptic; corolla yellow, irregular, 6-7 cm diam, petals glabrous; functional stamens 7, 3 larger than others and rostrate, anthers longer than filaments; pistil glabrous to strigose. Legume indehiscent, stipitate, oblong, turgid, 14-45 cm long, .5-1.5 cm diam, coriaceous, becoming fibrous. Seeds numerous.

  • Discussion

    CN 2n = 26, 52 (Covas, 1949). Cassia splendida is listed for California by Mathias and McClintock (1963), and mentioned by Doty and Johnson (1954) among ornamental shrubs of that state under the name Golden Wonder Senna. It is also reported from Texas (Mattoon, 1958). But I have seen no U.S. material. The only specimens passing as this species (from California) prove to be the related C. macranthera; see key for differential characters. I retain C. splendida provisionally so as to properly distinguish the two. I suppose Covas’ (1949) 2n = 52 based on root-tip determination represents somatic polyploidy.

  • Distribution

    Possibly California and s Texas. Novelty. Brazil.

    United States of America North America| Brazil South America|