APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1919. 25 



other kinds of Physalis can be utilized in the same manner. In colder coun- 

 tries rhysaUs pervviana becomes annual. Seeds will keep for eij,dit years." 

 (Mueller, Select Ertra -Tropical Plants, p. 377.) 



47515. Stevia reraitdiana Bertoni. Asteraceae. 



From Asuncion, Paraguay. Presented by Mr. H. H. Balch, American consul. 

 Received May .5, 1919. 



Kad-Hc4. "This Parasua.vaii herb is of peculiar interest because of the very 

 large saccharin content of the leaves. A fragment placet! on the ton^aie seems 

 sweeter than a lump of sugar of similar size. Several years ago the discovery 

 that this plant, tlien called eupatorium, contained a substance many times 

 sweeter than sugar was heralded by the press and excited the keen interest of 

 sugar planters all over the vi^orld. The substance turned out to be a glucosid, 

 and the anxiety of the .sugar interests subsided." (David Fairchild.) 



47516. Achradelpha mammosa (L.) O. F. Cook. Sapotacese. 

 (Lucuma mammosa Gaertn. f.) Sapote. 



Prom Laguna. Philippine Islands. Presented by the Bureau of Agriculture, 

 Manila. Received May 14, 1919. 



" One of the most important fruits of the Central American lowlands, well 

 known to the Indians since time immemorial. It is wild in many regions, 

 notably southern IMexico and Guatemala. It occurs most abundantly between 

 sea level and 2,000 feet; at 3,000 feet it is still conunon, while at 4,0(Ht it be- 

 comes scarce. It is generally believed that it will not succeetl at 5,000 feet, 

 but occasionally trees are seen at this elevation. In the highlands tiiey are 

 slow of growth and the fruit requires a long time to reach maturit.v. 



"In the lowlands the sapote (Spanish orthography znpotc) is a large forest 

 tree, often 60 feet in height, with a thick trunk and stout branches. The 

 Indians, when clearing land for coft'ee plantations, usually leave the sapote 

 trees the.v encounter for the sake of their valuable fruits. The foliage is 

 abundant and light green in color ; the leaves are clustered toward the ends of 

 the branchlets and are obovate or oblanceolate in outline, broadest toward the 

 apex, and 4 to 10 inches long. The flowers are very small, produced in great 

 numbers upon the stout branchlets. 



" The fruit is elliptical in form, commonly 3 to 6 inches in length but some- 

 times larger. The skin is thick and woody, externally russet in color and some- 

 what scurfy. The flesh is salmon red, finely granular in texture, and of sweet, 

 almost cloying flavor, in poor specimens strongly suggesting a scpiash or 

 pumpkin. The single seed is large, shining brown except on the rough, whitish 

 ventral surface, and is easily removed from the fruit. 



"The Indians commonly eat the sapote out of hand. It is occasionally made 

 into a rich preserve, however, and can be used in a few other ways. It is 

 slightly inferior in quality to its near relative, the injerto or green sapote 

 (Achradelpha viridis) of Guatemala. 



" The seed of the sapote is an article of commerce in Central America. The 

 large kernel is removed, roasted, and u.sed to mix with cacao in the prepara- 

 tion of chocolate. According to some of the Indians, it imparts flavor to the 

 chocolate ; others say it is done to increase the bulk of the latter. In view 

 of the high price of chocolate it seems more likely that sapote seeds are used 

 as an adulterant, rather than for their flavor. 



" In southern Mexico and Central America this fiuit is known as zapote 

 (from the Aztec tzapoil) ; in Guatemala the Indians know it under the Maya 

 names saltul, saltulul, and tulul; in Cuba it is called mamey Colorado; and in 

 the Philippines chico mamcy." (Wilson Popenoe.) 



75190—22 4 



