King James Bible

CASSIA, noun A genus of plants of many species, among which are the fistula, or purging cassia and the senna. The former is a native of Egypt and both Indies; the latter is a native of Persia, Syria and Arabia. The latter is a shrubby plant, the leaves of which are much used in medicine. The purging cassia is the pulp of the pods, and is a gentle laxative.

CASSIA is also the name of a species of Laurus, the bark of which usually passes under the name of cinnamon, differing from real cinnamon chiefly in the strength of its qualities. From a plant of this kind was extracted an aromatic oil, used as a perfume by the Jews.