18 



3489. DURANTA PLUMIERI. 



From Palermo, Sicily. Donated bv Professor Borzi, director of the Botani« 

 Garden of Palermo, through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



Labeled D. ellisii, a white form of the common Duranta plumieri. This is the only 

 white-flowered form in the collection in the Palermo Garden. 



3490. Argania sideroxylon. 



From Morocco, Africa. Donated bv Professor Borzi, director of the Botanic 

 Garden of Palermo, through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



"A spiny, small-leaved tree from Morocco belonging to the Sapotacese. It is a 

 much-branched evergreen tree, attaining a height of from 20 to 30 feet. The fruits, 

 the size of an olive, are used for feeding stock. From the small kernels, after roast- 

 ing and grinding, an oil is extracted of an irritating and harsh taste, but which is, 

 nevertheless, used in Morocco for food, and also for light. It makes good soap. 

 The tree will grow in the driest soil, and bears in 4 years. It is said not to be in 

 full bearing, however, until 15 years old. It replaces the olive to a considerable 

 extent in the southwestern part of Morocco, where it is said to form forests. The 

 seeds are known as 'grains d'argans.' This plant should be tested in the arid 

 regions of the Southwest. " (Swingle.) Distributed. 



3491. Asparagus acutifolius. 



From Palermo, Sicily. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



A wild asparagus, native in the Mediterranean region. It is edible, but not com- 

 monly used. (See No. 3285, inventory No. 7.) Distributed. 



3492. Lupinus digitatus. Hairy lupin. 



From Palermo, Sicily. Donated by Professor Borzi, director of the Botanic 

 Garden of Palermo, through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



The Lupinus hirsutus of Linnaeus. "Annual; reddish-hairy; flowers blue; seeds 

 somewhat flattened, grayish-brown, smooth. Native of the northern shores of the 

 Mediterranean from Spain to Asia Minor. Cultivated extensively in Germany as an 

 ornamental plant. It has also been tried as forage, and it is said that cattle prefer 

 both the green parts and the seeds to either the small blue or the yellow lupin. It 

 has a disadvantage in that it does not flower till July (in Germany), and the seeds 

 ripen late. The pods open too easily, making it difficult to collect the seed. It 

 requires a good soil, and apparently wiil not thrive on the poor sandy soils on which 

 the yellow lupin does so well." (J. Burtt Davy.) 



3493. Citrus aurantium. Orange. 



From Palermo, Sicilv. Donated bv Professor Borzi, director of the Botanic 

 Garden of Palermo, through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



Seeds of the common orange of Sicily. Distributed. 



3494. Ficus macrophylla. Moreton Bay fig. 



From Palermo, Sicily. Donated by Professor Borzi, director of the Botanic 

 Garden of Palermo", through Mr. W. T. Swingle, May, 1899. 



"This species, a native of northern New South Wales and Queensland, Australia, 

 is one of the largest and most rapidly growing figs that have been tested in Algeria. 

 It is said by Riviere to be the most vigorous, to'present the finest developments of 

 aerial roots, and to yield the most latex of any that have been tried in the Jardin 

 d'Essai, at Algiers. Maiden says of this species that the milky sap or latex of this 

 tree yields a very fine caoutchouc. Girard finds the latex of the Algerian tree to con- 

 tain 37 per cent of rubber, but of a very inferior quality, being resinous, dry, and 

 brittle. However, Ficus elastica, considered by Van Rombourgh to be the best rubber 

 tree for culture in Java, is said by Riviere to produce gum of equally inferior quality 

 at Algiers. At any rate, Ficu* macrophylla is worth testing in hot climates, where 

 it may yield rubber of a better quality than at Algiers. One of the most valuable 

 properties of Ficus 'macrophylla, according to Riviere, is the fact that large branches. 



