APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1910. 21 



27574. Datura sp. 



From Monterey, Cal. Presented by Mr. H. A. Greene, through Mr. Peter Bisset. 

 Received April 26, 1910. 

 A supposedly red-flowered variety. 



27575. Carica papaya L. Papaya. 



From Dongola, 111. Purchased from the Rose Valley Nurseries, Martin Lewis 

 Benson, proprietor. Received April 23, 1910. 



"The female plants of this variety bear a fruit the size of a large muskmelon and 

 are as easily fruited under glass as the tomato. The male plants produce in long 

 racemes and in large clusters enormous quantities of beautiful, waxlike, star-shaped 

 flowers." (Rose Valley Nurseries.) (Seed.) 



27576 to 27579. 



From Para, Brazil. Presented by Mr. Walter Fischer, acting director, Campo de 

 Cultura Experimental Paraense. Received April 25, 1910. 

 Seeds of the following: 



27576. Paspalum maritimum Trin. 



"This grass is the first to take possession of clearings, and is much relished by 

 cattle, and consequently highly valued by the natives. It grows with astonish- 

 ing rapidity, throwing out runners 20 to 30 feet in length in a very short time. 

 Its height when in flower is 2 to 3 feet. It has a rather thick rhizome, which 

 does not dry out easily, and consequently makes the grass very hard to extermi- 

 nate when once established. For Florida it would probably make an excellent 

 sand binder and pasture. This grass, according to Dr. Huber, here, has never 

 been named, and it is not known whether it is indigenous or introduced. From 

 its behavior it would appear to be introduced." (Fischer.) 



Distribution. — In the Provinces of Bahia and Para, in Brazil, and in the 



Guianas. 



27577. Ambelania tenuiflora Muell. Arg. 



"This is called here Pepino do mato, i. e., cucumber of the woods, or wood 

 cucumber. It is a yellow fruit about the size and shape of a small cacao fruit. 

 It contains two seed cavities surrounded by a white flesh of rather firm consis- 

 tency containing an abundant supply of latex. It is not a fruit that I could 

 recommend very highly. I have not been able to eat it, although it is eaten by 

 the natives." (Fischer.) 



Distribution. — In the primeval woods along the banks of the Amazon in the 

 Province of Para, Brazil. 



27578. Rheedia macrophylla (Mart.) Planch. & Triana. 



"Bacury pary (pronounced Bah-coo-rei pah-ree). This is a yellow or orange- 

 yellow fruit the size of an egg, with a very pronounced beak at the calyx end 

 and filled with four seeds, each surrounded by a very small quantity of agreeable- 

 tasting and refreshing acidulous pulp. This tree is said to be quite common 

 about Para, but as yet I have not seen one, having purchased the fruits on the 

 market. The basketful as I purchased it smelled exactly like a basketful of 

 gooseberries." (Fischer.) 



Distribution. — French and Dutch Guiana and the valley of the Amazon in the 

 Province of Para, Brazil. 



27579. Rollinia orthopetala A. DC. 



"This is, as Prof. Baker wrote, the finest anonaceous fruit in tropical Amer- 

 ica. It is the only one of those which I have tasted that I liked, and on first trial 

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