INSECTS OF TAMARISK AND TEA. 211 



TAMARISK. 



( Tamarix spp. Family Tamariscaceae.) 



Ornamental trees or shrubs occiirring from Mediterranean regions to East Indies 

 and Japan. Tamarix gallica is planted in many places on our Gulf coast. Several 

 species have medicinal properties and yield dyestuffs. The punctures of Coccus 

 manniparus cause Tamarix mannifera to produce "manna. " 



IMPORTANT TAMARISK INSECTS. 



COLEOPTERA. 

 Curculionldse. 



Coniatus Ixtus Miller, and C. suavis Gyllenhal, Europe; breed on the leaves. 

 Nanophyes tamaricis Gyllenhal; Europe; breeds in the ovaries of Tamarii gallica. 



Bargagli, p. Rassegna Biologica Rincofori Europei, 1883-87. 



TEA. 



( Thea sine7isis. Family Ternstroemiacese.) 



The tea plant is a flowering shrub much valued for its leaves, which yield the uni- 

 versally used beverage. It occurs in China and India and is also propagated in this 

 country. Other species of the genus are much prized as flowering shrubs. 



» 



A. BETTER KNOWN TEA INSECTS LIKELY TO BE IMPORTED. 



Xyleborus fornicatus Eichhofi. 

 (Shot-hole borer of tea. Ipidse; Coleoptera.) 

 Host: Tea, coffee, cacao. 



Injury: Tunnels in pith of young twigs and in wood of old trunks. Very injurious. 



Description and biology. — Beetle oblong, shining, fuscous, 1-4 mm. long; larva devel- 

 ops into beetles in fallen twigs. 



Distribution: Ceylon, Java, India. 

 SoRAUER, P. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, vol. 3, p. 575. 



Blston suppressarius Gn. 



(Indian Tea Geometrid. Geometridae; Lepidoptera.) 



Hosts: Tea, Dodonea viscosa, Carissa diffusa, Bauhinia variegata, Acacia catechu, 

 Acacia modesta, Rothra tinctoria, Cassia auriculata, Albizzia. 



Injury: Serious as defoliator of tea and forest trees. 



Description and biology: Moth, gray with black markings. Larva green. Has three 

 broods a year. 



Distribution: India. 

 Stebbing, E. p. Manual Forest Zoology, India, 1908, p. 133, fig. 267. 



Psyche spp., etc. 

 (Tea Bagworms. Psychidse; Lepidoptera.) 



Species: Psyche albipes Moore; Ceylon; tea. Psyche assamica Watt; India ea. 

 Acanthopsyche reidi Watt; India; tea. Acanthopsyche snelleni Heyl; India; tea. 

 Amatissa consorta Templeton; India, Ceylon; tea. Clania variegata SnelL; India, 

 Ceylon, Java; tea, cinchona, coffee. Clania crameri Westwood; India; tea, cinchona, 

 coffee, Pinus longifolia. Clania holmesi Wall; India; tea. 



Injury: Feed on foliage, twigs, and bark. 



Biology: The larvae feed in bags made from scraps of bark, etc. 

 Watt and Mann. Pests and Blights of the Tea Plant, Calcutta, 2d ed., 1903, pp. 



188-200, figs. 13-15, portions of pis. 7, 8. 

 SoRAUER, p. Handbuch der Pflanzenkrankheiten, 3d ed., 1913, vol. 3, pp. 328, 329. 



