JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1916. 27 



41874 to 41877— Continued. 



41876. Paederia foetida L. Rubiacese. 



A glabrous pink-flowered vine, the leaves of which when crushed give 

 off a strong odor of hydrogen bisulphid. It has become a troublesome 

 weed among the bamboos at the Brooksville (Fla.) Field Station. 



41877. Vitis davidii Foex. Vitacese. Grape. 

 "A luxuriant, deciduous climber, the young shoots not downy, but cov- 

 ered with spiny, gland-tipped, somewhat hooked bristles, which give 

 them a very rough appearance. Leaves heart shaped, slender pointed, 

 toothed ; 4 to 10 inches long, shining dark green and smooth above ; 

 bluish or greyish green beneath. Fruit said to be about two-thirds inch 

 in diameter, black, and of a pleasant flavor. Native of' central China; 

 introduced by Wilson for Messrs. Veitch in 1900, but if, as I believe, 

 the vine called Spinovitis davidii is the same, it has been cultivated in 

 France and in England since about 1885." (W. J. Bean, Trees and 

 Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles, vol. 2, p. 667, under V. armata.) 



41878 and 41879. 



From Chungking, China. Presented by Mr. E. Widler. Received February 

 5, 1916. 



41878. Boehmekia nivea (L. ) Gaud. UrticaceaB. Ramie. 



" Gh'u ma. This plant has a stem 5 to 6 feet high and 1 inch in circum- 

 ference ; the long-stalked leaves are ovate in shape with serrate margin; 

 the under surface is covered with a downy substance and has a silvery 

 appearance. The plant matures in about four months and bears in 

 August. China grass is obtained from the stems of Boehrmeria nivea and 

 ramie fiber, or rhea, from the stems of a variety of this plant. Both 

 plants, which belong to the stinging-nettle family, have somewhat the 

 habit of the gigantic stinging nettle, but B. nivea flourishes in tem- 

 perate countries and is characterized by the white undersurface of its 

 leaves, while, on the other hand, B. nivea var. tenacissima requires a 

 more or less tropical climate for its best development and has the under 

 surface of its leaves green. The term ramie, however, is applied in 

 commerce to the product of both plants. The local market value for a 

 sample of fiber is 300 cash per cattie. It is used principally for rope, 

 cloth, and famous grass cloth." (W idler.) 



" I think that according to the best usage at the present time the plant 

 Boehmeria nivea may be called ramie. The hark, with the liber stripped 

 from the ramie plant and dried, without much cleaning, is designated 

 ramie ribbon; the cleaned fiber, as it is commonly prepared in China by 

 scraping the bark, is culled China grass; and the liber prepared from 

 this grass by degumming and combing is called ramie filasse. The ion- 

 fiber combed out is known as ramie tops, and the shorl tan-led fiber 

 combed out in preparing the tops is ramie noils." '/. //. Dewey.) 



41879. Croton tigeium L. Euphorbiacese. Croton-oil plant. 

 "Pa toil. The first Chinese character composing this name refers to 



a country which was included within I lie boundaries of the present 

 eastern Szechwan. It is a few days' journey from Chungking, on a small 

 river. The second character was used because ef the resemblance 1" 

 the soy bean. This plant grows to a heighl of aboul :■>" feet, :'. feel in 

 circumference. It hears red and white flowers, it lakes from Ave to 

 eight years to grow, and it docs best In a temperate climate. In spring 



