1207 



Rancho) was about 60 feet In height. The other one 

 was not more than 45 feet high. The general appear- 

 ance of the tree, its habit of growth, size, charac- 

 ter of bark and foliage, are remarkablly suggestive 

 of an avocado of the West Indian type; but on closer 

 examination it is seen that the leaves are larger than 

 is common with the avocado, the venation is impressed 

 on the upper surface of the leaf, and, most conspic- 

 uous of all, the ends of the young branchlets and the 

 petioles are covered with a ferrugineous tomentum. 

 The foliage is sa-id to fall just before the tree comes 

 into bloom: the flowers making their appearance with 

 the new leaves. The leaves are clustered at the ends 

 of the branchlets, though not crowded. The leaf -blades 

 are oblong-elliptic, truncate at the base, sharply 

 acute to shortly acuminate at the apex, 8 to 12 inches 

 long, 4 to 7 inches broad, bright green and glabrous 

 above, glaucous and rather heavily pubescent below; 

 the pubescence ferrugineous on the midrib and to a 

 less degree on some of the larger transverse veins. 

 The venation is slightly impressed on the upper sur- 

 face, very prominent below. The petioles are 1 to If 

 inches long, narrowly canaliculate toward the articu- 

 lation with the leaf -blade, and f errugineous-pubes- 

 cent like the branchlets from which they arise. The 

 fruit is described as long and slender, almost black, 

 with a large and long seed and thin flesh. The flavor 

 is described as rich and bland, similar, but superior, 

 to that of the avocado. It is highly esteemed by the 

 inhabitants, and it is stated that it has even been 

 shipped to the city of Guatemala and sold in the mar- 

 ket there." (Quoted from description furnished with 

 Popenoe's No. 72. ) 



Rymandra excelsa Salisbury. (Proteaceae . ) 44956. 

 Seeds from Auckland, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. 

 H. R. Wright, Avondale Nursery. A New Zealand tree, 

 sometimes 100 feet in height, with stiff, linear-ob- 

 long, roughly-toothed leaves 4 to 8 inches long, and 

 racemes of red, velvety flowers, 2 to 3 inches long 

 and 2 inches in diameter. The tree bears a consider- 

 able resemblance to the Lombardy poplar when seen from 

 a distance. The wood is much used for cabinet work. 

 (Adapted from Laing and Blackwell, Plants of New Zea- 

 land, pp. 146-148, under Knightia excelsa.) 



Solanum tuberosum L. ( Solanaceae . ) 45023. Potato 

 tubers from Honolulu, Hawaii. Presented by Mr. J. M. 



