34 SEEDS AXD PLANTS I.MPOETED. 



46781 to 46787— Continued. 



planted experimentally somewhere in the United States to determine 

 whether or not it possesses any unusual characteristics." 



46785. Passiflora ciliata Ait. Passifloracese. 



" From Puerto Mexico. Vera Cruz ; collected September 9, 191S. The 

 grauadita, a passion vine which grows upon the beach in the vicinity of 

 Puerto Mexico. Its fruits are unusually handsome and are sold in the 

 market. They are produced upon slender stems about 4 inches long, and 

 are round, an inch in diameter or slightly larger, and brilliant crimson 

 scarlet in color. They are by far the showiest fruits of this genus which 

 I have seen. The outer covering of the fruit is not hard ; the seeds are 

 surrounded by white, translucent pulp of slightly acid flavor. In quality 

 this species is inferior to Passiflora liguJaris, the flavor not being so 

 aromatic and spicy. For the beauty of its fruits alone, however, it should 

 be worth cultivating, and it would be nn excellent species to cross with 

 some of the larger fruited passiflora s." 



46786. Sapranthus sp. Annonacese. 



" From the mountains near Pochutla. Oaxaca ; altitude, .8,000 feet. 

 Collected August 18, 1918. A peculiar annonaceous fruit, which is rather 

 common in the mountains. The tree is tall and slender and grows in 

 the dense forest. The fruits are the size and shape of papaws {Asi- 

 mina triloba) ; that is, oblong, about 3 to 4 inches in length, and li 

 inches in thickness. The flesh is bright orange color, and I do not 

 believe it is edible ; at anv rate, it is not eaten bv the natives of this 

 region.'' 



For an illustration of a cluster of fruits of this tree, .see Plate III. 



46787. ViTis sp. Vitacese. Grape. 



" Totoloche. Collected at Mogone, Oaxaca, October 1, 191S. A wild 

 grape apparently belonging to the Muscadine group or closely related 

 to it. Tlie plant is said to be abundant in this region, but I have not 

 seen it. The fruit is brought into town by the Indian women from San 

 Juan Guichicovi. This impresses me as the best grape I have ever seen 

 in the tropical lowlands, and I believe it has value. It should, at leasts 

 be of importance in connection with the development of a grape for 

 cultivation in the Tropics. It is va.stly superior to Vitis carihaea, the 

 berries being of much larger size and better flavor. The bunches are 

 usually small and rather loose, but sometimes contain as many as 50 

 berries and are quite compact. The individual berries are half an inch 

 in diameter, sometimes larger, round, deep purple-maroon or purple in 

 color when fully ripe. The skin is thick and tough, like that of the 

 .Scuppemong ; it seems to me even thicker and tougher. The pulp is 

 greenish, very juicy, containing two to four seeds, typically the latter 

 number. AYhile the totoloche appears to be most commonly eaten out 

 of hand, it is also used in this region to make wine. When fully ripe 

 the flavor is sweet, with a delicious aroma." 



46788. CoLOCASiA esculenta (L.) Schott. Araceae. Dasheen. 



From Port of Spain, Trinidad. Presented by ;Mr. Eugene Andre. Received 

 December 2, 1918. 

 " Tubers of what are being grown here as Chinese eddoes. This aroid gives 

 better results in poor, dry soil than the da.sheeu, the latter requiring well- 

 watered, low-lying land for remunerative crops." (Andr^.) 



