大叶决明 da ye jue ming

Cassia fruticosa Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8, Cassia no. 10. 1768.

Shrubs or small trees, ca. 3 m tall. Branches grayish white, glabrous. Leaves 12-18 cm, with an oblong, convex gland on rachis between lower pair of leaflets; stipules early caducous, linear, 3-4 mm; petiolules 3-4 mm; leaflets 2 pairs, obliquely oblong-ovate, 4-16.5 × 2-7 cm, membranous, both surfaces pubescent when young, abaxially puberulent when old, base obliquely cuneate, very unequally sided, midvein near upper side, apex acute to acuminate. Racemes short, densely flow­ered, to 6 cm, in axils of apical leaves, several racemes forming a leafy panicle; bracts early caducous, narrowly lanceolate. Sepals yellowish green, often tinged with red, oblong-obovate, outside puberulent. Petals orange-yellow, broadly obovate to orbicular, 2-2.5 cm, both sides pubescent. Fertile stamens 6 or 7, opening by apical pores, upper 3 stamens usually absent. Ovary linear, densely appressed whitish pubescent. Legume pendulous on a short stout stipe, terete, 15-25 × 1-1.5 cm, slightly annulate, with a beak ca. 1 cm on top. Seeds 80-100, dark brown, compressed, ovoid, 5-6 mm, embedded in a foetid, black pulp. 2n = 28.

Cultivated in Guangdong [native to tropical America].