OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1SH4. 53 



39636 to 39660— Continued. 



39639. Bucklandia populnea R. Brown. Hamamelidacea?. 



"A large evergreen tree attaining a height of 80 feet, met with in the 

 eastern Himalayas, Khasi Hills, and the Hills of Martaban, from 3,000 

 to 8,000 feet above the level of the sea. The wood is a grayish brown, 

 rough, moderately hard, close-grained, and durable. It is extensively 

 used in Darjiling for planking and for door and window frames." 

 (Watt, Dictionary of the Economic Products of India.) 



39640. Cassia laevigata Willd. Csesalpiniacea?. 



See S. P. I. No. 3324 for previous introduction. 



"A glabrous shrub native of tbe American Tropics, with 3 to 4 pairs 

 of ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate acuminate leaflets, and yellow flowers 

 in terminal or axiliary racemes. Pod leathery, 2 to 3 inches long, nearly 

 cylindrical." (Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture.) 



39641. Dichroa febrifuga Loureiro. Hydrangeaceae. 



"A somewhat virgate, rare greenhouse shrub, 5 to 9 feet tall, with 

 lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate leaves 8 inches long and glabrous except 

 on the nerves. In habit this species resembles a hydrangea, with violet- 

 blue flowers in pyramidal panicles a foot across and handsome blue 

 berries. The genus Dichroa consists of a single species and is found 

 in the Himalayas, Malaya, and China, occurring in the temperate Hima- 

 layas at altitudes between 5,000 and 8,000 feet. Some authorities state 

 that the Chinese form has larger flowers than this Indian one." (Bailey, 

 Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture.) 



39642. Edgeworthia gardneri (Wall.) Meissn. Thymelaeacese. 



See S. P. I. Nos. 9162 and 23754 for previous introductions and 

 description. 



"A large bush found in the Himalayas at between 4,000 and 9,000 feet 

 elevation. The strong, tough fiber obtained from the long, straight, 

 sparsely branched twigs of this bush must, sooner or later, become one 

 of the most valuable of Indian fibers. The finest qualities of Nepal paper 

 are made from this plaint, which produces a paper whiter than that 

 obtained from Daphne cannabina." (Watt, Dictionary of the Economic 

 Products of India.) 



39643. Ficus hookeri Miquel. Moraceae. 



"A tree with all its parts glabrous; leaves thinly coriaceous, long 

 petiolate, broadly elliptic or subovate elliptic, with short, broad, blunt 

 apical cuspis, edges entire, base rounded or slightly narrowed, 3-nerved ; 

 lateral nerves six to eight pairs, not very prominent : under surface pale ; 

 length 5 to 11 inches ; stipules linear lanceolate, flaccid, 1.5 to 3.5 inches 

 long, caducous; receptacles axillary, in pairs, sessile, obovate, depressed, 

 when ripe from 0.5 td 1 inch across; the large basal bracts united to 

 form an entire cartilaginous cup which envelops tbe lower third of 

 tbe ripe receptacle; male flowers numerous, scattered, with no proper 

 perianth, stamen single on long filament which is embraced by the 

 lanceolate scales of the receptacle ; gall and fertile female flowers alike, 

 except as l-egards the contents of the ovary, tbe perianth of four to 

 five linear-lanceolate pieces, achenes of a very dark brownish color, 

 style rather short, thick. Habitat, Sikkim Himalayas and Khasi Hills, 

 from 2,000 to 6,000 feet. Not common. At once distinguished by the 

 singular cup formed by the united basal bract." (Annals of the Royal 

 Botanic Garden, Calcutta, vol. 1, p. S6.) 



