66 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



28122 to 28124 Continued. 



28124. Glycosmis pen TAi'iivi.r.A (I'd/..) Correa. 

 Variety dilatata. See No. 24609 for previous introduction. 



28125. Skaxa odorifera (Veil.) Naud. Cassabanana. 



From Tampico, Mexico. Presented by Dr. Edward Palmer, through Mr. H. 

 1'itlicr. Received June 6, 1910. 



"A native of Brazil. Edible when still tender, but often cultivated on account of 

 its odorous gourdlike fruits." (Pittier.) 



See Nob. 279G9 and 28012 for previous introductions. 



28126. Capparis spinosa L. Caper. 



From near Petrovsk, Caucasus, Russia. Received through Mr. Frank N. Meyer, 

 Agricultural Explorer, June 4 and 20, 1910. 



"(No. 783, May 18, 1910.) The well-known caper plant, an herbaceous perennial, 

 making long branches which crawl over the earth. Grows on very dry and stony 

 places in the northeastern sections of the Caucasus, where occasionally winter tem- 

 peratures of —20° C. (—4° F.) are experienced. Tens of thousands of rubles' worth of 

 pickled capers are annually exported from the Caucasus, all gathered from wild plants. 

 This caper plant may prove of value as a profitable crop for the more arid southwestern 

 sections of the United States. As the plants require much space they should be 

 planted at least 10 feet apart in all directions." {Meyer.) 



Distribution. — Southern Europe and western Asia eastward to northern India, in 

 northern Africa, and in Australia and the Sandwich Islands. 



28128. Machilus nanmu (Oliv.) Hemsl. 



From Yachow, West China. Presented by Mr. H. J. Openshaw. Received May 

 7, 1910. 



"A splendid hard-wood tree which, I think, ought to grow in the lower altitudes. 

 It is insect proof and is almost as hard as teak." (Openshaw.) 



"Nanmu, sometimes erroneously called cedar, whereas it might be styled Chinese 

 laurel, is the most famous of Chinese woods. Several species of Machilus and Lindera 

 are called by the name Nanmu; and it is not yet quite certain which species yields the 

 famous timber used in building the imperial palaces. This timber is said to come 

 from Szechwan and Yunnan; and it is probable that it is produced by Machilus nanmu 

 Hemsl., of which Davenport, Baber, etc., sent specimens from those provinces as 

 yielding the famous wood. Nanmu also occurs in Fukien, and is there an excellent 

 wood, capable of being used for making elegant writing desks and the like." (Henry, 

 Economic Botany of China, 1893: p. 43.) 



Distribution. — The provinces of Szechwan and Yunnan, in the Chinese Empire. 



28129 and 28130. Ziziphus spp. / 



From Maskat, Oman, Arabia. Procured by Mr. John A. Ray, American consul. 

 Received June 1, 1910. 



Seed of the following; notes by Mr. Ray: 



28129. Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. 



" Jarrari. This variety has very hard seeds and the name is supposed to 

 refer to the act of pulling the stones out of one's mouth and throwing them away . " 



See Nos. 23439 to 23446 and 25777 for previous introductions. 

 208 



