Cassia grandis L.f.
Family
Leguminosae
Synonyms
C. pachycarpa de Wit.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Kotek, kotek mamak. |
| English | Horse cassia, pink shower. |
| Cambodia | Sac phle, kreete. |
| Laos | Brai xiem, may khoum. |
| Thailand | Kanpaphruek (Bangkok). |
| Vietnam | b[oof] c[aj]p d[or], [oo] m[oo]i. |
Geographical Distributions
Originating from tropical America, but introduced throughout the tropics; abundant in Cambodia and southern Vietnam, common as an ornamental and escape in Malaysia, Java and New Guinea.
Description
Cassia grandisis a medium-sized tree which can reach up measure to 20(-30) m tall. It is semi-deciduous where the young branches and inflorescence are covered with rusty lanate indumentums.
The leaves are with 10-20 pairs of leaflets, measure 2-3 cm long petiole, lanate, subsessile leaflets, elliptical-oblong in shape, measuring 3-5 cm x 1-2 cm, subcoriaceous and rounded at both ends. The 20-40-flowered inflorescence is a lateral raceme. It is measure 10-20 cm long.
The flowers are with 5-8 mm long sepals. The petals are initially red, fading to pink and later orange in colour. The median one is red with a yellow patch. There are 10 stamens with hirsute anthers. The 3 long ones are with filaments that up to measure 30 mm and measuring 2-3 mm long anthers while the 5 short ones are with 7-9 mm filaments and measure 1-1.5 mm long anthers and the final 2 reduced ones are with about 2 mm long filaments.
The fruit is pendent, compressed, measuring 20-40(-60) cm long, measure 3-5 cm in diametre, blackish in colour, smooth, woody and wrinkled.
The seeds are 20-40 per pod and surrounded by sweetish pulp.
Ecology / Cultivation
C. grandis is a common ornamental plant in villages at lower altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12 (1): Medicinal and poisonous plants.
