1338 



annum on land which will not produce 25 bushels of 

 corn. The species is decidedly drought-resistant as 

 tropical plants go." (Fairchild.) 



Chrysophyllum cainito (Sapotaceae) , 46150. Star-apple. 



From Panama, Republic of Panama. Presented by Mr. 

 Ramon Arias-Feraud . "Purple itar-apple seeds." (Arias- 

 Feraud.) A handsome tropical American fruit and orna- 

 mental tree, evergreen, up to 50 feet high, with 

 beautiful broad leaves, smooth and green above and 

 silky and golden yellow on the under surface. Fruit 

 the size of an apple with star-shaped core and purple 

 flesh and skin. The pulp is said to be delicious if 

 the fruit is left on the tree until ripe. Will not 

 stand frost. 



Elaeis melanocoeca (Phoenicaceae) , 46048. Noli palm. 

 From San Lorenzo, Tolima, Colombia. Presented by Mr. 

 M. T. Dawe, Estacion Agronomica Tropical. A palm 

 with practically no stem, the leaves, 8 to 10 feet 

 long, being borne from within 2 to 6 feet from the 

 ground. The fruits, which are compressed, irregular, 

 and orange-red in color when ripe, are borne in dense 

 clusters. Two classes of oil are obtained: red oil 

 from the coating of the seeds, and a clear oil from 

 the kernels; the latter is very much prized as a cook- 

 ing oil. The palm ,is common in the lowlands among 

 flooded areas under conditions similar to those of 

 our flooded bottom land along the Mississippi and 

 other Gulf Coast rivers. (Adapted from Curran. ) "This 

 palm is called noli palm in Colombia, coquito in Costa 

 Rica, and corozo Colorado in Panama." (C. B. Doyle.) 



Fraxinus floribunda (Oleaceae), 46083. Ash. From 

 Darjeeling, India. Presented by Mr. G. H. Cave, Direc- 

 tor, Lloyd Botanic Garden. "This is a large deciduous 

 tree found growing in the Himalayas from Indus to 

 Sikkim, at elevations between 5,000 and 8,500 feet. 

 A concrete, saccharine exudation called marina is ob- 

 tained from the stem of this tree and is employed as 

 a substitute for the officinal manna. The sugar, man- 

 nite, contained in this exudation, differs from cane 

 and grape sugar in not being readily fermentable, al- 

 though under certain conditions it does ferment and 

 yields a quantity of alcohol varying in strength from 

 13 to 33 per cent. Like the officinal manna this is 

 used for its sweetening and slightly laxative prop- 

 erties. The wood is white with a reddish tinge and 



