﻿22 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



47964. Oryza sativa L. Poacese. Rice. 



From Vercelli, Italy. Presented by Dr. Novello Novelli, director, R. Sta- 

 zione Sperimentale di Risicoltura e delle Coltivazioni Irrigue. Received 

 August 21 and 26, 1919. 

 " Precoce dellarole." 

 Procured for the use of the rice specialist of the Bureau of Plant Industry. 



47965 to 47967. 



From Belem, Para, Brazil. Presented by Dr. J. Simao da Costa. Received 

 August 22, 1919. 



47965. Oenocarpus batatja Mart. Phcenicacese. Palm. 

 A tall, majestic tree with a large smooth trunk, generally distinctly 



ringed; the leaves are terminal, pinnatisect. with linear segments; the 

 spadices spring from beneath the leaves and are simply branched; the 

 spathe is large, fusiform, and woody and falls off as soon as the spadix 

 escapes from it ; the flowers are monoecious, and the fruit is nearly globu- 

 lar, 1-seeded, with an edible covering. All species of this genus afford 

 oil and " yukisse " (palm-drink) from the fruits, and they are also used 

 for various other purposes. The leaves serve as a thatch, and from the 

 nerves of the decayed petioles the Indians make arrows for their blow- 

 pipes. The oil is colorless and sweet and excellent not only for lamps but 

 for cooking. The shopkeepers of Para buy these oils of the Indians and 

 mix them in equal proportions with olive oil, retailing the whole as olive 

 oil, from which indeed it can scarcely be distinguished even by the best 

 judges. For frying fish this oT is equal either to olive oil or butter. 

 Native to the Amazon Valley at an altitude of not more than 1,600 feet 

 above the level of the sea. (Adapted from Seemann, Popular History of 

 the Palms, p. 210.) 



47966. Vikola sebifera Aubl. Myristicacese. TJcuuba. 

 " A tree inhabiting the lowlands of the Lower Amazon, which produces 



in June and July a fruit about the size of a cherry with a brown paper- 

 thin shell. This fruit contains an abundance of oil and stearin, and since 

 each tree produces about 2 barrels of nuts a week during the fruiting 

 season, there seems to be here a promising source of soap material. The 

 timber also is valuable, being hard and dense and reddish browri in color, 

 almost like mahogany." {Lange, Lower Amazon, pp. 84, 401, 461.) 



47967. Vouacapoua Americana Aubl. Fabacese. 

 (Andira excelsa H. B. K.) 



"A tree found in the lower Amazon region, which yields timber of 

 excellent quality. It is also called Amazon wood." (Lange, Lower 

 Amazon, pp. 88, 461.) 



47968 to 47972. 



From Puerto Bertoni, Paraguay. Presented by Dr. Moises S. Bertoni. 

 Received August 22, 1919. Quoted notes by Dr. Bertoni. 



47968. Britoa sellowiana Berg. Myrtacese. 



"Native name in Guarani, Nyandu-apihsa ; in Portuguese, Siete 

 Capotes. A well-known little fruit tree, very productive." 





