Angewandte Botanik. 559 



bezeichneten ägyptischen Augenheilmittels, das aus den Samen von 

 Cassia absus L. hergestellt wird. Von botanischen Untersuchungen 

 ist nur die Keimfähigkeit der im Handel käuflichen Samen angege- 

 ben, die vom Referenten seinerzeit in Kairo zu S^/o gefunden 

 wurde. K. Snell. 



Popenoe, P., Origin ofthe banana. (Journ. of Heredity. V. p. 

 273-280. 1914.) 



The paper discusses the different problems, connected with the 

 origin of the banana; being it one of the earliest crops, cultivated 

 by man, at first only for its roots, not as fruit, the vagaries of pol- 

 lination, the antiquity of its culture, the description given by Pliny, 

 the doubt as to the time of introduction in America, the prehis- 

 toric and allied forms, fossils found in Yellowstone Park and 

 the confusion within the genus Musa, comprising 32 or moredistinct 

 species and at least a hundred subspecies. It is impossible to con- 

 dense this paper in a brief abstract. M. J. Sirks (Haarlem). 



Popenoe, W., The Jahoticaba. (Journ. of Heredity. V. p. 318—326. 

 1914.) 



A number of named varieties of Jahoticaba are known to the 

 Brazilians, some of which are probably true species, viz Myrciaria 

 tnmciflora Berg, M. jahoticaba Berg and M. caulißora Berg, other 

 horticultural forms originating through seedling Variation. The 

 fruiting habits of the jahoticaba are worthy of more than passing 

 notice. When heavily laden the Iree is a curious sight. Not only is 

 the trunk covered with Clusters and masses of glisteningjaboticabas, 

 but the fruiting extends to the ends of the small branches, which 

 all produce their share of the crop. 



This cauliflory is very remarkable regarding the little diameter 

 of the fruit, |-l| inches. Study of this manner of fruiting leads to 

 an explanation as given by Schimper, that it is owing to the 

 weaker dev^elopment or less degree of toughness of the bark. 



The jahoticaba may, according to the writer, be a tree presenting 

 possibilities to plantbreeders in tropical regions, as Brazil. 



M. J. Sirks (Haarlem). 



Popenoe, P., Three new nuts. (Journ. of Heredity. V. p. 179 — 

 184. 1914.) 



In this paper the writer gives some brief Communications about 

 three new sorts of nuts, that have appeared on the markets of the 

 United States and by their excellence give promise of attaining 

 considerable importance. Good photographs of these nuts illustrate 

 the paper. The nuts described here are: 



The pili nut of the Philipp in es {Canariiim ovatian and C. 

 lusonicum), commercially the most important new nut which has 

 appeared on the American market during recent years. The nuts 

 have an excessively thick shell, which demands attention from some 

 tropical plant breeder; but the kernel is so delicate and nutritious 

 that an emulsion of it is frequently used as a Substitute for milk in 

 bringing up infants. A valuable commercial oil is pressed from 

 them, while the resin of the tree is the "gum elemi" of pharmacists, 

 used in plasters and ointments. The nuts shipped to America are 

 mostly from forest trees, the genus not being cultivated in the 

 Philippines, although it is in the Dutch East Indies. 



