70 SEEDS AX J) PLANTS IMPORTED. 



42816. Goss yi'ium sp. Malvaceae. Cotton. 



From the Canal Zone. Presented by Mr. S. P. Verner, Cristobal. Re- 

 ceived June 5, 1916. 



"From Arcia, Perez Place, Colon, Panama. It is interesting because ir has 

 the habit of opening in tbe dry season, winch all cotton here does not ha 

 (Verner.) 



"The tilier is fine and of good quality, with a Length of 1£ to 1£ inches, aud 

 would undoubtedly find a market if produced in sufficient quantity." ( 0. F. 



Cook: ) 



42817. Coriaria thtmifolia Humb. and Bonpl. Coriariacere. 



From Ambato, Ecuador. Presented by Prof. Abelardo Panchano, Ambato 

 Agricultural School, through Mr. Frederic W. Goding, American consul 

 g< neral, Guayaquil. Received June 7, 1016. 



"This Cbriaria is known under the Quichua name pinan, but in the north- 

 ern provinces the plant is talked about SiS'Shanzhi or Zhanzhi. Its berries are 

 rather poisonous if eaten in some quantity, as I had reason to verify when 

 a boy. The bark and the roots are rich in tannin, a . se in th< Coriaria 



in art i folia of the European shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The ink 

 obtained from die fruit has a beautiful violet a that changes to bla< 



and, within a few hours, to reddish: it has an ancient fame of being indelible. 

 and we believe this ink would be very good if we could, by some means, fix its 

 ci !■ r. It is said that during the colonial times a Spanish ship sunk, and it 

 was possible to save some papers after they had been under the water because 

 they had been written with Shanzhi ink. It is added that there was a king's 

 order to writ< vith this ink all papers of importance." {Panchano.) 



42818 and 42819. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Malvaceae. Roselle. 



From Donna, Tex. Presented by Mr. Eltweed Pomeroy. Received June 6, 

 1916. 



42818. "Special bright red. crop of 1915. This blossoms very early 

 and rather high up and may ripen fruit where the regular crop would 

 be cut off by frost. < >f course, this is only a supposition which needs 

 proving." (Pomeroy.) 



42819. " Special dark red. crop of 1915. This blossoms low down and 

 is not ver\ early in blossoming, but it is so protected by the branches 

 thai it may escape frost where the fruit borne higher up and more on 

 the outside might lie frosted.*' (Pomeroy.) 



42820. Begonia sp. TVo-oniacea\ 



From Rama, Nicaragua. Presented by Mr. Fnrlos Berber. Received June 



7, 1916. 



" Seeds of a plant which has some resemblance to Hydrastis Canadensis. The 



Indians use the rhizome as a violent emetic in case or snake bite, poisonings, 



and it acts so strongly that it produces the vomiting of blood in certain 



doses. The leaves are healing and arc used in swellings and. skin eruptions. 



It is curious thai the land turtles are crazy for the leaves of this plant, and if 



tl" re are any of such turtles around, you might be sure to find them near this 



plant" (Berger.) 



