1205 



leaflets. The flowers, which are produced in clusters 

 of considerable size, are of a deep lilac color and 

 quite attractive. In form they resemble the flowers 

 of the common pea, but are smaller, being about half 

 an inch broad. The shrub seems well worthy of trial 

 in California and Florida." (Popenoe.) 



Ixerba brexioides Cunningham. (Escalloniaceae. ) 44955. 

 Tawari seeds from Auckland, New Zealand. Presented by 

 Mr. H. R. Wright, Avondale Nursery. A beautiful ever- 

 green tree, sometimes 70 feet tall, with thick, leath- 

 ery, coarsely serrate leaves 3 to 7 inches long, and 

 very handsome waxy, white flowers 1| inches wide, 

 borne in flat panicles. It is a native of New Zea- 

 land, where it is not common; and is considered by 

 some to be the most beautiful tree indigenous to that 

 country. (Adapted from Laing and Blackwell, Plants 

 of New Zealand, pp. 186, 188.) 



Musa paradisiaca seminifera (Lour.) Baker. (Musaceae.) 

 45007. Plantain seeds from Nice, France. Presented by 

 Dr. A. Robertson Proschowsky. A wild, seed-bearing 

 plantain having small, oblong, greenish fruits full 

 of seed. These fruits are about a third of the size 

 of the common banana; and have a pleasant taste, al- 

 though encumbered by numerous seeds. The plant is 

 quite ornamental; and as it is hardier than the com- 

 mon banana it might be possible, by selection or hy- 

 bridization, to extend the range of bariSna culture. 

 (Adapted from Bailey, Standard Cyclopedia of Horti- 

 culture, vol. 4, p. 2079, and from lette-r of Dr. A. 

 Robertson Proschowsky, June 30, 1917.) 



Panicum decomposition R. Brown. (Poaceae.) 45040. 

 Seeds from Burringbar, New South Wales, Australia. 

 Presented by Mr. B. Harrison. A tall, coarse, suc- 

 culent, semi-aquatic grass, cultivated in many parts 

 of Australia as a forage crop. It produces an abun- 

 dance of forage, and is greatly relished by stock. 

 It has yielded, under cultivation, as much as 3 tons 

 of hay per acre. The seeds are produced in December 

 and January. (Adapted from J. H. Maiden, Useful Na- 

 tive Plants of Australia, pp. 97, 98.) 



Persea sp. (Lauraceae.) 44996. Seeds from Guate- 

 mala. Collected by Mr. Wilson Popenoe, of this Bureau. 

 "(No. 152a. From the Chuacus mountains, near Rincon 

 Grande, about 5 miles from Salama, at an approximate 



