Cinnamomum cassia elongated leaves that are long and have a decidedly reddish colour when young. Chinese cassia is a close relative to Ceylon cinnamon ("C. verum"), Saigon cinnamon ("C. loureiroi"), also known as "Vietnamese cinnamon", Indonesian cinnamon ("C. burmannii"), also called "korintje", and Malabar cinnamon ("C. citriodorum") from Sri Lanka. In all five species, the dried bark is used as a spice. Chinese cassia's flavour is less delicate than that of Ceylon cinnamon. Its bark is thicker, more difficult to crush, and has a rougher texture than that of Ceylon cinnamon. Most of the spice sold as cinnamon in the United States,
Cassia (genus) 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". 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