OP WASHINGTON. 179 



was still on my desk when Mr. J. M. Rose, of the Botanical 

 Division, brought me specimens of plants which had recently 

 been collected by Dr. Bdw. Palmer, who, with the plants, sent 

 specimens of the capsules, thus rendering it quite certain that 

 the "Jumping Bean" occurs on this particular plant. It 

 turns out to be undescribed, and has been finally referred to 

 the genus Sebastiania, and Mr. Rose intends to describe it as 

 6*. palmeri. Naturally, as in so many Kuphorbiaceous seeds, 

 the carpel splits into two parts in dehiscing, but when infested 

 with the Carpocapsa larva the silk lining which the latter spins 

 prevents the seed from dehiscing. The general aspect of the 

 leaf is not unlike that of a broad-leafed willow, the length 

 varying from one to three inches, and the width from about 

 one-half to one and one-quarter inches. The reference given 

 by M. Chretien in his letter would appear to be erroneous. 

 At all events, Bentham and Hooker give Colliguaja odorifera 

 as from South America, and I can find no record of its occur 

 ring in Mexico. Comparison of the specimens in the Depart 

 ment herbarium shows that, while evidently allied, Colliguaja 

 is quite distinct from Sebastiania, which fact renders it rather 

 remarkable that the name given by the Mexicans to the plant 

 should be identical with that adopted for the genus of a South 

 American plant, and the inference may properly be drawn that 

 this name is applied by the inhabitants indifferently to various 

 Euphorbiaceous species which occur, whether in Mexico or 

 south of the Equator. 



If Colliguaja does occur in Mexico and is also a host of 

 Carpocapsa saltitans, it may readily be distinguished from the 

 species of Sebastiania here mentioned by its small, thickish 

 leaves, which are strongly glandular-toothed ; the male flowers 

 form long slender spikes, with very many stamens. The cap 

 sule is described as nearly one inch broad. 



A closely allied species of Sebastiania, coming from the same 

 localities, and also yet undescribed (but which Mr. Watson 

 intends to describe as Sebastiania pringlei) and which has 

 previously been referred to the genus Gymnanthcs, also shows 

 evidence of being infested with Carpocapsa, and indeed an 

 esteemed correspondent, M. Eugene Duges, of Guanajuato, 

 Mexico, has reared the moth from the capsules of this par 

 ticular species. Still a third species (S. bilocularis Watson) is 

 interesting because the capsules are bi-coccous instead of tri- 

 coccous, and the capsule is withal much smaller and more 

 rounded. 



It is also infested by a larva which, if not the same, is closely 

 allied to that of Carpocapsa saltitans. A single moth was ob 

 tained by Mr. Rose, but was lost, so that I have not been able 

 to examine it. So far as its general appearance is concerned, 



