JANUARY 1 TO MAT.CH 31, 1920. 31 



49370 to 49383— Continued. 



49370. AxAN.As SATivus Schulr. f. Bromeliacete. Pineapple. 

 "(No. 266. Tucuru, Alta Vera Paz. January 12, 1920.) Suckers of 



a variety of pineapple from Tucuru at an altitude of about 3.200 feet. 

 It is Imown to the few Americans in this region as the ' sugar-loaf ' pine- 

 apple hwause of its sweetness. It i.s described by R. W. Hempstead, 

 through whose courtesy I have obtained these suckers, as broadly oval, 

 large, with white, very juicy, sweet-flavored flesh." 



49371. Annoxa sci.ekodebma SafEonl. Annonace*. 



"(No. 249a. Tucuru. Alta A'era Paz. January 12. 1920.) Ponh 

 (Kekchi) ; Spanish orthography pox, sometimes called in English 'hard- 

 shelled custard-apple." Seeds of a rare species of Annona from Chama, 

 on the Rio Chixoy ; altitude 950 feet. 



" In size of tree and habit of growth this .species resembles Annona 

 rpticulata. In foliage, however, it is quite distinct. The loaves are 

 oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 6 to 9 inches lung. 2i to 8 inches broad, shortly 

 acuminate, coriaceous, deep green and almost glossy above, paler beneath. 



" The fruits, which are borne on stout stalks about an inch long, are 

 broadly heart-sh.-iped to round and up to 4 inches in diameter. The 

 surface, which is dull gray-green, differs in character from that of most 

 other Annonas : it is divided by prominent ridges into iri'egularly pen- 

 tagonal areas. The skin or outer covering is nearly a quarter of an 

 inch thick and ooai-sely granular in texture. It forms a brittle shell 

 which effectively protects the flesh and makes it possible for the ripe 

 fruit to be handled roughly without injury to the flesh. The latter, 

 which is snow-white and divided into loosely cohering segments each 

 containing a seed the size of a bean, is of remarkably pleasant flavor 

 suggesting that of the sugar-apple {A. squamosa), with a dash of lemon. 

 Many Annonas are heavily sweet or mawkish ; not so the posh. It has 

 sufficient acidity (more than the cherimoya) to give it .sprightliness, 

 and it never cloys the palate. 



" The trees which I have seen at Chama are more productive than 

 the average cherimoya. The species may well he compared to Aiuwna 

 squamiosa in fruiting habit. Abortive fruits, such as many of those 

 borne by most cherimoya trees, are rarely produced, but there is con- 

 siderable variation in the size. The average is about 3 inches' in 

 diameter. 



"This species evidently belongs to the tropical k»wlands; hence, in 

 the United States, it is likely to succeed only in southern Florida. "" 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 40835. 



49372. Chaetochloa pakicumfeba (Steud.) Hitchc. Poace.'e. Grass. 

 (t^etaria paniculifera Fourn.) 



"(No. 258«. Tucuru. Alta Vera Paz. January 12. 1920.) Hots kor 

 (Kekchi). Seeds collected near Chama. Tliis plant is found commonly 

 throughout Alta Vera Paz, where it is considered one o( the best forage 

 grasses. It is thought to be more nourishing than most other grasses, 

 and both horses and cattle eat it readily in spite of the fact that the 

 leaves are covered with somewhat coarse hairs which it might be ex- 

 pected would prove disagreeable to animals. 



" Hots kor never forms pastures or solid stands over large areas, but 

 usually grows on slopes or among scrub, where it forms scattered clumps. 



