Cassia (genus)

Cassia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae, and the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Species are known commonly as cassias. The genus includes 37 species and has a pantropical distribution. Species of the genera Senna and Chamaecrista were previously included in Cassia. Cassia now generally includes the largest species of the legume subtribe Cassiinae, usually mid-sized to tall trees.

Cassia is also the English common name of some unrelated species in the genus Cinnamomum of the family Lauraceae.

Ecology

Cassia species occur in a range of climates. Some can be utilized widely as ornamental plants. They have been used in reforestation projects, and species from desert climates can be used to prevent desertification.

Cassia species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of many lepidopteran taxa. For example, the skipper Astraptes fulgerator and the pierids Catopsilia pomona and C. pyranthe are all seen on Cassia fistula. The latter utilizes several other cassias, as well.

The plant pathogenic viruses cassia yellow blotch bromovirus and cassia yellow spot potyvirus were first described from Cassia.

Uses

Because the name Cassia is not precise, it is sometimes difficult to know what is meant by references to plants known as "cassias". Cassia gum, for example, is made from Senna obtusifolia, a species formerly included in genus Cassia.

Genera Cassia and Senna are both known in systems of traditional medicine. Cassia fistula, for example, is used in Ayurvedic medicine.

There exists some culinary use for cassias. The fruit of some species is edible. In Central America, its pods are stewed into a molasses-like syrup, taken as a sweetener and for its nutritional and medicinal effects. Some have toxins in their seeds, however.

Systematics and taxonomy
There are hundreds of Cassia species, but it is unclear just how many. One estimate stands at 692. The genus was a wastebasket taxon for a long time, used to classify plants that did not fit well anywhere else. Over 1000 species have belonged to Cassia over the years. Many taxa have since been transferred to more appropriate genera, such as Senna. Plants of the World Online accepts 37 species.

Species
Cassia comprises the following species:

 Cassia abbreviata Oliv.
 subsp. abbreviata Oliv.
 subsp. beareana (Holmes) Brenan
 subsp. kassneri (Baker f.) Brenan

 Cassia afrofistula Brenan — Kenyan shower cassia 

 Cassia angolensis Welw. ex Hiern

 Cassia arereh Delile

 Cassia artensis Beauvis.

 Cassia aubrevillei Pellegr.

 Cassia bakeriana Craib—pink cassia, wishing-tree

 Cassia brewsteri (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. — Brewster's cassia, cigar cassia
 Cassia burttii Baker f.

 Cassia cowanii H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 var. cowanii H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 var. guianensis (Sandwith) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 var. peruviana (J.F.Macbr.) H.S.Irwin & Barneb

 Cassia eremophila Vogel—desert cassia

 Cassia fastuosa Willd. ex Vogel
 var. calva H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 var. fastuosa

 Cassia ferruginea (Schrad.) DC.
 var. ferruginea 
 var. vellozoana H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 Cassia fikifiki 
 Cassia fistula L. — golden shower, Indian-laburnum, purging cassia

 Cassia grandis L.f. — pink shower cassia

 Cassia hintonii Sandwith
 Cassia hippophallus Capuron

 Cassia javanica L.—apple-blossom cassia, Palawan cherry
 subsp. bartonii F.M.Bailey
 subsp. javanica L.
 var. javanica L.
 var. microcalyx Irwin & Barneby
 subsp. nodosa (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) K.Larsen & S.S.Larsen
 subsp. pubiflora (Merr.) K.Larsen
 Cassia johannae Vatke

 Cassia lancangensis Y.Y. Qian

 Cassia leiandra Benth.

 Cassia leptophylla Vogel—gold medallion tree

 Cassia mannii Oliv.

 Cassia marksiana (F.M.Bailey) Domin

 Cassia midas H.S.Irwin & Barneby

 Cassia moschata Kunth

 Cassia mystacicarpa 

 Cassia psilocarpa Welw.

 Cassia queenslandica C.T.White

 Cassia × regia Standl.

 Cassia roxburghii DC.—Roxburgh's cassia
 Cassia rubriflora Ducke

 Cassia sieberiana DC.

 Cassia spruceana Benth.

 Cassia swartzioides Ducke
 var. scarlatina (Ducke) H.S.Irwin & Barneby
 var. swartzioides

 Cassia thyrsoidea Brenan

 Cassia tomentella (Benth.) Domin

See also
 Sydney Percy-Lancaster

References

 

 
Fabaceae genera
Cassieae
Pantropical flora