JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1918. 49 



45953. SoLANDRA lonctIflora Tussac. Solanaceu'. 



From Sydney, New South Wales. Plants presented by Mr. J. H. Maiden, 

 director, Botanic Gardens. Received Marcli 26, 1918. 

 A West Indian evergreen shrubby vine, witli ovate to obovate sharply 

 pointed leaves on purplish petioles and yellow fi-agrant flowers usually a foot 

 long. If left untriniuied it is a rampant climber, but it can be grown as a 

 dwarf shrub by constant pruning. It is an adaptive plant, as it grows well 

 in the driest and poorest places and does not appear to object to gross feeding. 

 The foliage of this plant produces a valuable drug called .soUindrin, which 

 has the same active principles as atropiu derived from the leaves and roots of 

 Atropa helhidotwa L. The best method of propagation is by cuttings, which 

 should he taken from the flowering branches just after the flowering season 

 is over and planted in a well-drained light sandy soil. (Adapted from The 

 Af/ricultural Gazette of New South Wales, vol. 28, p. 670.) 



45954. Acacia catechu (L. f.) Willd. Mimosaceag. Catechu. 



Fron) Cairo. Egji)t. Presented by the director, Horticultural Sei'tion, 

 Gizeh Branch, Ministry of Agriculture. Received March 26, 1918. 

 A medium-sized tree, with opposite, recurved spines and bipinnate leaves inade 

 up of 10 to 40 pairs of pinnte, each bearing 30 to 50 pairs of linear leaflets about 

 one-fourth of an inch long. The spikes of yellow flowers are solitary or 

 fascicled, and the flat rich brown pods are reticulate veined. A powerful astrin- 

 gent extract prepared from the wood is the catechu of medicine and the cutch of 

 tanning. (Adapted from Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 1. 

 p. 189, and Lyouf;, Plant Names, Scientific and Popular, p. 9.) 



45955. Annona reticulata L. Annonaceae. Custard-apple. 



From Colombia. Presented by Mv. W. O. Wolcott, Medellin. Received 

 March 27, 1918. 



" The tree grows about 15 feet high, is very thrifty, thriving best in a hot 

 climate from sea level to about 3,000 feet altitude, and apparently wants rich 

 soil and plenty of moisture. The fruit is about the size and shape of a 

 bullock's heart and has a thin, light gi-eenish yellow skin. It is cut open 

 and eaten with a spoon, there being no coi"e, though many seeds. The flavor 

 is very sugary and fine." (Wolcott.) 



45956 to 45964. 



From Peradeniya. Ceylon. Presented by Mr. George F. Mitchell. Wash- 

 ington, D. C, and procured (except No. 45964) at the Botanical Gardens, 

 near Kandy, Ceylon. Received March 18, 1918. 



45956. Areca triandra Roxb. Phoenicacese. Palm. 

 A medium-sized palm, native to India, reaching a height of 25 feet, 



usually having several trunks and sending out basal offshoots. The 

 trunks are cylindrical, and each bears a crown of pinnate leaves 4 to 6 

 feet long. The orange-scarlet fruits are about the size of an olive. 

 (Adapted from Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, vol. 1, p 

 S88.) 



45957. Calyptkocat.yx spicatus (Lam.) Blume. PhiBnicacene. Palm. 

 This stately palm, native to Amboina and other islands of the Molucca 



group, attains a height of 40 feet. The piimate leaves have valvate 

 'leaflets with reflexed margins, and the flowers, arranged on long spike 



