JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1915. 37 



39897 to 39924— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. F. N. Meyer.) 



39911. Prunus setulosa Batalin. Amygdalaeese. Cherry. 



" No. 1235. A wild cherry growing into a tree 40 to 60 feet tall, 

 with a good-sized trunk. Leaves somewhat tomentose. Collected at 

 an altitude of 7.000 feet. Of value possibly as a stock and for 

 breeding purposes." 



39912. Diospykos kaki L. f. • Diospyraceae. Persimmon. 

 "(No. 1236. Near Kuatsa, on the Hsiku River, Kansu, China. No- 

 vember 10, 1914.) A remarkably large and beautiful persimmon of very 

 flat shape and bearing some furrows on top Color bright deep orange; 

 seedless ; nonjuiey ; of excellent keeping qualities ; can be eaten fresh or 

 dried ; not free from pucker. Quite a rare variety. Local name Mo mo 

 shih tzu, meaning ' loaf of bread persimmon,' though many different 

 forms pass under that name." 



39913. Diospyros kaki L. f. Diospyracece. Persimmon. 

 "(No. 1237. Near Hsiku, Kansu, China. November 14, 1914.) A per- 

 simmon of square shape, bearing generally a constriction close to the 

 peduncle, also often furrowed vertically. Of light orange color, seed- 

 less ; non.iuiey ; a very good keeper, but of astringent properties when 

 eaten fresh, therefore consumed when roasted or steamed, by which pro- 

 cesses the pucker disappears for the greater part ; also much eaten dried. 

 Chinese name Fang shih tzu, meaning ' square persimmon.' " 



39914. Daphne tangutica Maxim. Thymelaeaceoe. 



"(No. 123S. Near Hsiku, Kansu, China. November 17, 1914.) A 

 very beautiful evergreen bush of low and compact growth; foliage 

 dark green and leathery : occurring on stony debris in sheltered ravines 

 and in open woodlands at altitudes of 5.000 to 10,000 feet. Flowers 

 white, with a slight violet tinge, faintly scented, appearing in early 

 spring, though some stray ones can be seen in autUKin also. Berries 

 bright red and ripe at the end of May and in early Tune. This shrub 

 is of high decorative value; it can be employed especially near houses 

 and low walls, and may succeed in sections of the United States 

 where the winters are not too severe, like Long Island, for instance. 

 The plant is apparently easy to propagate from root cuttings, for roots 

 that were seen sticking out amidst pebbles and stony debris and of which 

 the top parts had been chopped off were observed to put forth new 

 sets of branches. In the mountains to the north of Hsiku, where this 

 Daphne occurs in abundance, one also finds great quantities of Bnxus 

 scnijwvircns and an evergreen species of Pteris, while ivy clings here 

 and there against the rocks, all this often conveying the impression as 

 if man had brought these plants together here and had made a wild 

 garden of it." 



"A low, densely branched, evergreen shrub, of close, neat, sturdy 

 habit; young shoots hairy. Leaves leathery, thick, densely arranged 

 toward the end of the twig; oval inclined to obovate; 1 to 2 indies long, 

 one-half to three-fourths inch wide; stalkless, the base tapered, the apex 

 rounded and notched, margin revolute; dark glossy green, smooth. 

 Flowers produced during early May in a crowded cluster 3 inches 

 across, terminating the branch, each flower borne on a short, conspicu- 

 ously brown-felted stalk; perianth tube smooth, five-eighths inch long; 

 rosy purple outside, glistening white, tinged with purple, inside; lobes 

 ovate, one-third inch long. Fruit bright red. 



