﻿APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1919. 33 



" With me the plants of the bush Dolichos always flower when 5 weeks old 

 and ripe pods are produced at 8 weeks. Often a second crop of pods is pro- 

 duced. The beans are quite palatable, though they are inferior to Lima beans. 



" I should mention that in the course of my inheritance studies on Dolichos, 

 I have established that the bush form behaves as a simple Mendelian recessive 

 to the climbing form. In a cross between St. Vincent Bush (white) and Purple 

 Soudan climber, I have isolated pure bush types of varying vegetative habits. 

 Some are much more vigorous than the original bush parent. I have also suc- 

 ceeded in isolating a bush form of Vilmorin's Stringless by crossing Stringless 

 with the native bush." {Harland.) 



47569. Stizolobium bracteatum (DC.) Kuntze. Fabacese. 



From Namkham, Burma, India. Presented by Mr. Robert Harper. Re- 

 ceived June 21, 1919. 

 Introduced for experiments being carried on with various forms of velvet 

 beans. 



47570 to 47575. 



From Auckland, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. James W. Poynton. Re- 

 ceived June 12, 1919. Quoted notes by Mr. Poynton. 



47570. Meryta sinclairii (Hook, f.) Seem. Araliacese. 



" Native name puka. The Meryta has large leaves, and is rather a 

 striking-looking small tree much grown in gardens for ornament. For a 

 time it was believed the rarest tree in the world, only one plant being 

 known. One of our early botanists saw a tree near a large native camp, 

 but the Maoris declared it was taboo and forbade him under penalty of 

 death to touch it. He reported its discovery and described it as accu- 

 rately as he could. No other naturalist had ever seen such a tree in New 

 Zealand, and must interest was aroused by his report. Twelve years 

 afterward he returned to the place and found the camp deserted ; but the 

 tree was still there. He got some leaves and flowers and sent them to the 

 eminent botanist, Sinclair, who classified it, and it is now named after 

 him. Subsequently 27 plants were found on some islands in the Hawaki 

 Gulf near Auckland, and from them seeds were obtained for distribution. 

 The plants are male and female." 



47571. Metrosideros tomentosa A. Rich. Myrtacese. 

 "The Christmas tree of our early settlers; native name pohutukawa. 



It comes into bloom mostly during Christmas week (midsummer here). 

 The flowers are deep red, and the tree is very pretty when in flower. It 

 grows well by the seaside, gives good shelter, and endures salt spray 

 splendidly. The wood is hard and durable, but the tree does not grow 

 straight, being bent at the branches. For this reason it was much 

 sought after for knees for boat building." 



47572. Phormium tenax Forst. Liliaceae. New Zealand flax. 

 " I gathered the flax seed myself from some strong, well-fibered plants 



growing in the Court House grounds at Hamilton in the Auckland 

 Province of New Zealand. I can therefore warrant it to be of good 

 pedigree and freshly gathered." 



47573. Phyllocladus trichomanoides D. Don. Taxacese. 

 " Cones of the remarkable ■ celery-topped pine ;' native name tanekaha. 



The bark contains two valuable red dyes and about 22 per cent of tannin. 

 75190—22 5 



