172 



swingle: a new genus of kumquat oranges 



The differences between the round and oval kumquats have ah'eady 

 been enumerated under the latter species. (See figs. 2 and 3.) 



No type specimen of this species exists, but the specimen figured by 

 Thunberg probably is to be found in the Upsala Museum and may after 

 critical examination prove suitable to be considered a lectotype. 



The plants grown in Japan, United States, Europe and North Africa 

 are almost all grafted and consequently show great uniformity. 



THE MEIWA, A NEW KUMQUAT, POSSIBLY OF CHINESE ORIGIN 



About 1896 or 1897 a new kumquat appeared in Japan, apparently 

 imported from China. It seems to have been listed at first as the 

 Chinese large-fruited kumquat, but soon came to be known as the 



spotted Mciwa kumquat,^ and 

 soon simply as the Meiwa kum- 

 quat.^ 



This variety is very prolific, 

 even small shrubs bearing an 

 abundance of fruit. The leaves 

 are decidedly different from those 

 of any other kumquat, being 

 much thicker and folded on the 

 midrib so as to be V-shaped in 

 cross-section. The fruits are 

 slightly oval, often nearly glo- 

 bose, decidedly larger than those 

 of the round kumquat, and dis- 

 tinctly broader at the equator 

 than those of the oval kumquat. 

 They show in cross-section 5, 6 or 7 segments, with one or two seeds 

 in each segment. (Fig. 4.) Upon close study these differences seem 

 to necessitate the recognition of the Meiwa kumquat as a new 

 species.^" 



* Hidaka, Kwaji Yen, in Nippon yen gei zatto shi (Bull, de la Soc.d'Horti- 

 colture du Japon) 23: 44. May, 1911. 



' Some nurserymen give also a variety Nei wa; others consider these synony- 

 mous, preferring Meiwa. 



'■" Fortunella crassifolia Swingle, sp. nov. A speciebus ceteris Fortunellae differt 

 foliis crassioribus, canaliculatis, in sectione V-formibus, cellulis paliformibus in 

 4^6 stratis dispositis, fructibus majoribus ovoideis, 5-6-7-locularibus, vesiculis 

 ovoideis vel ellipsoideis nee fusiformibus. — Habitat in China?, cult, in Japonia et 

 America. 



Fig. 4. F. crassifolia. A, cross-sec- 

 tion of 7-celled fruit; B, oval pulp vesi- 

 cles, growing into cell from inner wall 

 of ovary; C, seed; D, seed in cross- 

 section. A, C, and D, natural size; B, 



