Systematic Position
Class -Dicotyledonae
Sub-class-Polypetalae
Series-Calyciflorae
Order-Rosales
Family-Leguminosae
Sub-family-Caesalpiniaceae (Caesalpinoideae)
May be herbs, shrubs, climbers or trees. Usually pinnate compound leaves.
(1) Inflorescence is typical raceme (Cassia).
(2) Flowers hypogynous, zygomorphic.
(3) Descending imbricate aestivation in calyx, odd sepal anterior.
(4) Ascending imbricate aestivation in corolla.
(5) Androecium 10, polyandrous, diplostamenous condition, dehiscence by pores or longitudinal slits. Monoadelphous in Tamarindus; Diadelphous in Sindora.
(6) Staminodes found in Cassia.
(7) Monocarpellary, superior ovary, unilocular with marginal placentation, ovary is often stalked.
(8) Fruit is lomentum.
F.F. Br. %
K5 C5 A5+5 G1
Gulal is obtained from Caesalpinia sappan; brown dye haematoxylin is from Haematoxylon; gum from Bauhinia racemosa; fibres from Bauhinia purpurea, B.racemosa.
(1) Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Chhota gold mohor)
(2) Cassia fistula (Amaltas).
(3) Bauhinia variegata (Kachnar)
(4) Delonix regia (Gold mohr).
(5) Saraca indica (Ashok)
(6) Tamarindus indica (Tamarind).
(7) Haematoxylon campechianum (Logwood).
(8) Parkinsonia aculeata (Vilayati Kikkar)