56 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



39636 to 39660— Continued. 



39656. Rubia coedifolia L. Rubiaceae. Indian madder. 

 An herbaceous creeper with perennial roots which is met with in the 



hilly districts of India from the northwest Himalayas eastward and 

 southward to Ceylon. The Man jit root or East Indian madder is ob- 

 tained for the most part from this species and is much employed by the 

 natives of India for dyeing coarse cotton fabric or the threads from 

 which it is woven various shades of scarlet, coffee brown, or mauve. 

 The East Indian madder of commerce consists of a short stalk, from 

 which numerous cylindrical roots about the size of a quill diverge. These 

 are covered with a thin brownish pulp, which peels off in flakes, dis- 

 closing a red-brown bark marked by longitudinal furrows. Many differ- 

 ent methods are used for dyeing with this madder, a short account of 

 which may be found in Watt, Dictionary of the Economic Products of 

 India. 



39657. Rubus calycinus Wallich. Rosacea?. 



"A species native to the eastern and central temperate Himalayas 

 and found in Sikkim as high as 9.000 feet above the sea and in Bhutan 

 as high as 8,500 feet. This slender prickled species has a creeping stem 

 which sometimes reaches 3 feet. The leaves are 1 to 3 inches in diameter 

 and sometimes hairy beneath. The solitary or twin flowers are 1 inch 

 in diameter and borne on erect 1 to 2 leaved shoots. This is very near a 

 Philippine Island species, which has smaller flowers." (Hooker, Flora 

 of British India.) 



39658. Rubus bosaefolius Smith. Rosacea 1 . 



"A small shrub found in the temperate Himalayas from Kumaon to 

 Sikkim at altitudes between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. It occurs also in the 

 Khasi Hills and on the Hills of Ava and Martaban, and is distributed 

 to Java. It is naturalized and cultivated in the Tropics and warm tem- 

 perate regions, and in cultivation often has double flowers. The fruit is 

 large, red, edible, and is frequently sold in Darjiling markets." (Watt. 

 Dictionary of the Economic Products of India.) 



39659. Senecio scandens Hamilton. Asteraceae. 

 See S. P. I. No. 39080 for previous introduction. 



39660. Solanum verbascifolium L. Solanacese. 



"A shrub or small tree frequently met with throughout India in the 

 tropical and subtropical regions and distributed to southeastern Asia, 

 Malay, North Australia, and the tropical Americas. Used medicinally by 

 the natives, but its properties are unimportant. In southern India it is 

 cultivated for its fruit, which is eaten in curries. The wood is light 

 yellow in color and of soft texture." (Watt. Dictionary of the Economic 

 Products of India.) 



39661. Commelina sikkimensis C. B. Clarke. Coimnelinaceae. 



From Sibpur, near Calcutta, India. Presented by the superintendent, Royal 

 Botanic Garden. Received December 30, 1914. 



A species occurring in the Himalayas from Sikkim to Assam at altitudes rang- 

 ing from 2,000 to 4,000 feet. 



