APEIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1921. 35 



53177 to 53217— Continued. 



The stems are clothed with iiarrmv. stiff, sessile leaves of j^'ossy dark- 

 green color and are surnioiinteil l>y heads of bro^^•nish ornnse flowers. 

 The plant is noted in Ecuador because of the fact that its leaves will 

 burn when s:re<>n. Tlie llower heads retain their color even when dry. 

 The species will probaldy prefer a moist, rather cool climate such as 

 that of the I'aclfic Nortliwest." 



53180. Passifloka maliformis L. Passifloracese. Granadilla. 



"(No. 583a. Ibarra. Ecuador. February 14, 1921.) Seeds of 

 Ch-cniadilla dr hiicxo. unnvn in tli(> valley of the Ttio Chota, in northern 

 Ecuador, at an altitude of about 0.000 feet. This species is a vigorous 

 climber with cvate-cordate. li.i^ht-.nreen leaves about 3 Inches long. The 

 flowers have a large, conspicuous, whitish green calyx, and the corona 

 is white, marked with purplish blue. The fruits are round, rarely more 

 than 2 inches in diameter, with a thin shell yellowish green on the sur- 

 face and whitish within. Though not more than an eighth of an inch 

 thick, this shell is so hard that it is broken with difficulty. Within it are 

 numerous small black seeds, each surrounded by .iuicy pulp of pale, 

 orange-yellow color, and acid, highly aromat'c flavor, similar to that 

 of Passiflora edulis. The fruit is eaten out of hand and is a good one, 

 worthy of cultivation in California and Florida, if it proves to be 

 suitable for those States." 



For an illustration of tli"s new passion fruit from Ecuador, see 

 Plate 1. 



53181. Tacsonia quitensis Benth. Passifloracefe. 



"(No. 600a. From mountains near El Angel, Province of Cai'chl, 

 Ecuador.) Seeds of tncso. From an elevation of about 12.000 feet. 

 This wild plant much resenib'es the cult vated 7'. inollissiina in foliage, 

 flower, and fruit. It grows abundantly in ravines and among brush at 

 high altitudes in northern Ecuador. The fruits are not much used by 

 the natives, though they seem nearly as good as those of the cultivated 

 tacso." 



53182 to 53185. Persea Americana Mill. Lauracese. Avocado. 



(P. gratissima Gaertn. f.) 



53182. "(No. 578. Hacienda San Vicente, Province of Carchi, Ecua- 

 dor. February 17, 1921). Budwood of avocado No. 47. Tamayo. 

 The parent tree stands in one of the huertas of the hacienda about 

 half a mile north of the house at an altitude of 6.100 feet. This 

 variety, so far as can be .judged by an examination of the parent 

 tree, is either a very unusual Mexican or else a hybrid between 

 the Mexican and West Indian races. The fru t is of good size 

 (about 18 ounces in weight) anl of convenient oval form. In 

 appearance it is fairly attractive, being smooth, with the surface 

 light green, washed or overspread with maroon purple at the 

 stem end. The skin is not woody ; it resembles both in thickness 

 and texture that of such large-fruited Mexican varieties as Puehla 

 and Gottfried. The flesh is cream colored, with a very few in- 

 conspicuous flber markings. The quality is very good. The seed 

 is small and tight in the cavity. The tree appears to bear fair, 

 but not heavy, crops. 



" Formal description : Parent tree about 35 feet high, the trunk 

 18 inches thick at the base, dividing about 8 feet above the 

 ground, and giving off the first l)ranclies at 12 feet. Crown oval, 

 slender, open. Fol'age when crushed has a very faint aniselike 

 odor scarcely detectable. 



"The fruit is broadly oval to obovod in form; weight about 18 

 ounces; length about 4 inches and .greatest breadth about 3J 

 inches; base slightly tapering, the stem inserted to one side; apex 

 very slightly and obliquely flattened; surface smooth, light green 

 with numerous whitish green dots, and overspread with maroon 

 purple or dull purple around the stem ; skin thin, like that of 

 the largest fruited Mexican varieties, rather tender; flesh cream 



