56 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



40000 to 40039— Continued. (Quoted notes by Mr. F. X. Meyer.) 



feet. Withstands successfully winter temperatures, unprotected, of 

 — 12° C. (+11° F.), as happened in Huihsien on November 1, 1895, 

 • when all the other palms around there died. Of value as a fine orna- 

 mental garden and park tree for all parts of the United States where the 

 mercury does not go much below 10° F. Chinese name Tsung 8hu, 

 meaning ' coir palm tree.' Obtained like the preceding number, 21GGa 

 [S. P. I. No. 4002S]." 



40030. Abelmoschus maxihot (L. ) Medic. Malvaceae. Hibiscus. 



(Hibiscus munihot L.) 



"(No. 2168a. Near Tsaichiapu, Shensi. China. September 9, 1914.) 

 A species of Hibiscus, with many large flowers of clear yellow color; 

 cultivated here and there on fertile Hats along the Wei River as a vege- 

 table. The petioles of the flowers, just before they expand, are picked 

 and also the young tops; these are dried in the wind or in the sun and 

 when dry, ground into a powder, which is sprinkled over flour noodles 

 to make them more gelatinous, or it is added to soups and sauces to 

 make them mucilaginous. The taste of this powder is slightly subacid, 

 and not unpleasantly so. Possibly a good jelly could be made from it. 

 Chinese name Chili ts'ao." 



40031. Asparagus trichophyllus flexiosus Trautv. Convallariaceae. 



"(No. 2169a. Near Yangsa (near Titao), Kansu, China. November 30, 

 1914.) An asparagus of trailing habits and having spiny bracts; found 

 wild among low scrub in a loess bank. Apparently rare. Of value possi- 

 bly in breeding experiments and as a tilling garden perennial." 



10032. Alax.ilm chixexse (Lour.) Kehder. L'ornaceie. 

 (Marlea begonifolia Koxb. ) 



"(No. 2170a. Near Yuyinchen (between Liangtang and Huihsien), 

 Kansu, China. September 26, 1914.) A shrub or small tree, belonging 

 to the Cornaceae, bearing leaves of many forms, some being very large 

 and of lop-sided, elliptical shape, while others have five points and are 

 small, resembling leaves of Liquidambar styraciflua. Found in somewhat 

 damp places at the foot of embankments or along streams. Of value as 

 a striking looking garden and park shrub for mild-wintered regions."' 



40033. Osteomeles schwerixae Schneider. Malaceae. 



"(No. 2171a. Kwatsa (on the Hsiku Itiver), Kansu. China. November 

 10, 1914.) A very dense-growing shrub, from 2 to 5 feet tall, having small, 

 dark-green, finely pinnate leaves. Found on dry stony wastes and in 

 rock cliffs. Bears small bluish black berries in the late fall of the year 

 and is said to bloom profusely in early summer with conspicuous white 

 flowers. Of value as a shrub for rockeries and as a lining bush along 

 pathways running irregularly." 



"An evergreen shrub, growing probably 6 to S feet high in the open, 

 considerably more against a wall; the long, slender, flexible branchlets 

 covered with short gray hairs. Leaves pinnate, 2 to 4 inches long, com- 

 posed of 81 to 15* pairs of leaflets, covered, more especially beneath, 

 with gray down; main stalk hairy, channeled above. Leaflets oblong- 

 oval or obovate, with a shorl abrupt point, stalkless. one-quarter to five- 

 eighths inch long, about one-third as wide. Flowers white, one-half to 

 two-thirds inch diameter, produced in June in branching corymbs 1$ 

 to 3 inches across, terminating lateral twigs; calyx lobes ovate-lauceo- 



