39416 and 39417. SOLANUM spp.

Solanaceæ.

From Bremen, Germany. Presented by Prof. Dr. G. Bitter, Bremen Botanic Garden. Received November 13, 1914. Quoted notes by Dr. Bitter.

"Cultivated in the botanic garden. Bremen, 1914, from seeds."

39416. SOLANUM CAESIUM Griseb.

"Seeds received from Oran, northern Argentine."

39417. SOLANUM ACAULE Bitter.

"Seeds collected in 1913 in Oruro, Bolivia."

39418 to 39422.

From Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba.

botanist, Cuban Agricultural Station.
Quoted notes by Mr. Roig.

Presented by Mr. Juan T. Roig,
Received November 14, 1914.

39418. EUGENIA TUBERCULATA (H. B. K.) DC. Myrtaceæ.
"Grajo. A myrtaceus shrub producing hard wood.”

39419. HARPULLIA CUPANIOIDES Roxburgh. Sapindaceæ.

"A fine tree cultivated at the station. Of rapid growth and probably producing good timber."

Distribution.-A tree bearing erect panicles of yellow flowers, followed by pendent clusters of orange-colored fruits, found in India and Ceylon and eastward to Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

39420. PITHECOLOBIUM TORTUM Martius.

"Humo.

Mimosacere.

A tree producing valuable golden-colored timber. Much used for posts and fences."

39421. SOPHORA TOMENTOSA L. Fabaceæ.

"Tambalisa. A very ornamental shrub with yellow flowers. It forms wide masses and is suitable for planting around the house and gardens.” 39422. TRICHILIA HAVANNENSIS Jacq. Meliaceæ.

"Siguaraya. A low tree much used for hedges and popularly employed, as a drug plant, against rheumatism and other diseases."

39423 to 39442.

From China. Collected by Mr. Frank N. Meyer, Agricultural Explorer for the Department of Agriculture. Received November 17, 1914.

notes by Mr. Meyer.

39423. HOLCUS SORGHUM L. Poaceæ.

(Sorghum vulgare Pers.)

Quoted

Kaoliang.

"(No. 2118a. Linhsien, Honan, China. July 5, 1914.) A variety of kaoliang grown as a fodder for domestic animals. Is generally sown out very thickly either in small patches or as strips along fields. In appearance is much like Johnson grass. Chinese name Chiao ts'ao kaoliang, meaning emerald-grass kaoliang.'"

39424. CANNABIS SATIVA L. Moraceæ.

Hemp.

"(No. 2119a. Luanfu, Shansi, China. July 13, 1914.) A variety of hemp, said to produce long, strong, and fine fiber. Grown on terraces on somewhat moist soil at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 feet."

39423 to 39442-Continued.

(Quoted notes by Mr. F. N. Meyer.) Euphorbiaceæ.

39425. RICINUS COMMUNIS L. Castor bean. "(No. 2120a. Southwest Shansi, China, August 4 to 14, 1914.) Var. inermis. A variety of castor bean having spineless burs. Occurs sporadically in fields among the ordinary sort. Of value to students of mutation and variation in plants, and possibly of commercial value also as producing less waste material than the common varieties."

39426. MEDICAGO SATIVA L. Fabacex.

Alfalfa.

"(No. 2121a. Mountains between Hotien, near Linhsien, Honan, and Luanfu, Shansi, China. July 7 to 12, 1914.) A wild alfalfa, found everywhere between grasses, bowlders, rocks, and pebbles, on banks, cliffs, etc.; of low spreading growth, foliage small, flowers of blue color, large individually, but racemes small. Branches not erect except when having some support. Thrives best, apparently, at altitudes between 2,000 to 4,000 feet above sea level. Of value possibly as a pasture plant in the intermountain sections of the United States. This alfalfa may be one of the original forms in which this important forage plant occurs on the globe, and the erect-growing varieties now so extensively cultivated might have been derived from one of these prostrate forms."

39427. INCARVILLEA SINENSIS Lamarck. Bignoniaceæ.

"(No. 2122a. Near Wuwang on the Hwang River, Shansi, China. August 11, 1914.) Var. floreflava. A variety of this biennial, having large, pale-yellow flowers, instead of rosy ones. Of value as an ornamental for the hardy border. Of special interest to botanic gardens." 39428. AMYGDALUS sp. Amygdalaceæ.

Peach.

“(No. 2123a. Sianfu, Shensi, China. August 21 to 26, 1914.) Stones of the real wild peach, growing in the mountains one day's journey south of Sianfu. The fruits are small, hard, and sourish, but there is considerable variation in them as regards size and taste. They are apparently all freestones, and while some have red flesh near the stone, others are white throughout. The Chinese eat these fruits out of hand, but they do not appeal to the white races, although they might be utilized when preserved, as they possess the real peach flavor. Local name Ying t'ao, meaning cherry peach.'"

39429 and 39430. PRUNUS ARMENIACA L.

Amygdalaceæ.

Apricot.

39429. "(No. 2124a. Peking, China, June 25, 1914.) A large apricot of soft yellow color and of mango shape, which is a very unusual form among apricots. Said to come from the vicinity of Paotingfu, Chihli Province."

39430. "(No. 2125a. Peking, China. June 27, 1914.) An apricot with fruits as large as small apples; of whitish yellow color with some blush on one side. Of fresh and sweet taste. Said to come from the vicinity of Paotingfu."

39431. XANTHOCERAS SORBIFOLIA Bunge. Sapindaceæ.

"(No. 2126a. Chaoyu, Shansi, China. July 22, 1914.) A shrub, occasionally growing into a small-sized tree, found in loess cliffs. The shiny pinnate foliage reminds one of an ash, but the drooping racemes of white flowers, with yellow stamens, produced in great masses in early summer, give the shrub quite a distinct appearance. The Chinese eat the kernels of the fruit and call the plant Mu kua hua, meaning

39423 to 39442-Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. F. N. Meyer.) 'quince flower,' on account of the large fruits resembling those of the Japanese quince. This shrub, closely related to the horse chestnut, is decidedly ornamental and of special value as a garden shrub for those semiarid sections of the United States where the winters are not too severe."

For illustrations of this shrub as seen growing in China and of its fruit and foliage, see Plates I and II.

39432. PRINSEPIA UNIFLORA Batalin.

Amygdalaceæ.

"(No. 2127. Near Fuchengchen, Shansi, China. July 21, 1914.) A spiny shrub, having many long branches, growing from 3 to 5 feet in height. and of spreading habits. Foliage lanceolate and serrated, resembling that of a Rhamnus. Flowering early in May with pale rosy flowers, produced in great masses. The fruits, which are of dark-red color and resemble small cherries in general looks, ripen in July. They are quite juicy, but sour; however, they vary a good deal as regards size, degree of juiciness, and acidity, some being edible out of hand, while others are very acrid. By selection, strains could be obtained, no doubt, which could be cultivated as garden fruits. The shrubs love a well-drained situation and thrive quite well even on rocky débris. Of value as an ornamental spring-flowering bush and as a prospective fruiting shrub, especially for the drier parts of the United States where the winters are not too severe. Local Chinese name Tz'u yü, meaning 'spiny elm.'" For illustrations of the Chinese Prinsepia in flower and in fruit, see Plates III and IV.

39433. RHAMNUS sp. Rhamnaceæ.

"(No. 2128a. Kulo, Shansi, China. July 24, 1914.) A tall, shrubby Rhamnus, often growing into a small tree. Of spreading habits, leaves slender, lanceolate and serrate, looking not unlike slender davidiana peach leaves. This shrub is apparently rare; it is found here and there in loess cliffs and on old grave mounds; it seems to be able to withstand a good deal of alkali. Of value as a park shrub and possibly as a hedge plant, especially for the drier sections of the United States. The purplish black berries possess a sickening sweet taste and are apparently not eaten by the Chinese."

A va

39434. AMPELOPSIS ACONITIFOLIA DISSECTA (Carr.) Koehne. Vitaceæ.
"(No. 2129a. Pingyangfu, Shansi, China. August 2, 1914.)
riety of Ampelopsis, with finely cut foliage, of light-green hue, and
bearing dull-yellow berries. Very ornamental when covering a wall or
trained over some latticework. Of value as a porch, arbor, and pergola
vine, especially in semiarid climes."

39435. VICIA SP. Fabaceæ.

Vetch.

"(No. 2130a. Mountains near Hotien, near Linhsien, Honan, China. July 7, 1914.) A vetch of vigorous growth, foliage glabrous. Found in rocky crevices and apparently able to withstand drought quite well. Of value possibly for forage purposes."

39436 to 39439. PRUNUS spp. Amygdalaceæ.

39436. PRUNUS HUMILIS Bunge.

Plum.

"(No. 2131a. Yuncheng, Shansi, China. August 11, 1914.) A variety of wild Chinese dwarf plum, with fruits as large as good

XANTHOCERAS SORBIFOLIA. (SEE S. P. I. No. 39431.)

FRUITING BRANCH OF XANTHOCERAS SORBIFOLIA. (SEE S. P. I. No. 39431.) This North Chinese plant belongs to the horse-chestnut family. It is found wild as a shrub in dry loess banks and cliffs in Shansi, Honan, Shensi, and Kansu, in which provinces the country people eat the kernels, calling the plant Mu kua hua (quince flower), presumably on account of the fruits somewhat resembling Japanese quinces in appearance. In temple courts around Peking one frequently finds this plant cultivated, and in such places it grows into a small tree, often with a dense head of foliage. Though seldom seen in American gardens, it deserves to be more widely planted, especially in dry, sunny situations, where its masses of white flowers with yellow and red blotches in the center appearing in May make the plant of great decorative value. (Photographed by Frank N. Meyer, at Chaoyu, Shansi, China, July 23, 1914; P12264 FS.)