﻿50 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



48162. Diospyros sp. Diospyracese. Persimmon. 



From Puerto Bertoni, Paraguay. Presented by Dr. M. Bertoni. Numbered 

 October, 1919. 

 " Kaki silvestre. A species of Diospyros, indigenous to the forests of eastern 

 Paraguay and commonly found in rocky places in the open woods on the banks 

 of the Rio Parana. It is a small tree, 20 to 26 feet high, and quite leafy ; it 

 produces a great abundance of almost spherical fruits, about an inch in di- 

 ameter, which mature in autumn. Kaki silvestre apparently does not suffer 

 from the effects of temperatures above — 3° C. [27° F.]. It could possibly be 

 used advantageously as a stock with Diospyros kaki." {Bertoni.) 



48163. Pistacia atlantica Desf. Anacardiaceae. 



From Tripoli, Libya, Africa. Presented by Dr. O. Fenzi, director, Stabili- 

 mento Orticolo Libico. Received October 15, 1919. 



A tree, native to northwestern Algeria, 35 to 49 feet in height, with many 

 woody branches in a dense head. The blue drupe is somewhat fleshy and about 

 the size of a pea. The tree is frequently found in sandy uncultivated fields not 

 far from the city of Gafsa and seems to have been cultivated at one time by 

 the inhabitants. A resinous gum flows from the bark of the trunk and branches 

 at various times of the year, especially in summer, and hardens to a pale yellow 

 color. It has a pleasant aromatic odor and taste, scarcely distinguishable from 

 the oriental mastic gum, and called by the same name, huelc, by the Moors. 

 It thickens in plates covering the branches, or in irregular balls differing in 

 thickness and shape, often the size of a finger. Some of these become detached 

 from the tree and are scattered on the ground. The Arabs collect this substance 

 in autumn and winter and chew it to whiten the teeth and sweeten the breath 

 (Adapted from Desfontaines, Flora Atlantica, vol. 2, p. 364.) 



It is one of the species used for stocks for the true pistache. 



48164 to 48170. 



From Auckland, New Zealand. Presented by Mr. H. R. Wright. Received 

 October 14, 1919. Quoted notes by Mr. Wright. 



48164. Alecteyon excelsum Gaertn. Sapindacese. 



"A handsome evergreen tree, commonly called the New Zealand oak." 

 A tree 30 to 60 feet high, with black bark; the young branches, the 

 under surfaces of the compound leaves, the panicled inflorescences, and 

 the capsules are clothed with a silky, ferruginous pubescence. The 

 globose, shining, jet-black seeds, from which the Maoris formerly ex- 

 tracted an oil, are half embedded in a scarlet, fleshy, cup-shaped aril. 

 The tree yields a tough, elastic timber valuable for ax handles, bullock 

 yokes, etc. (Adapted from Cheeseman, Manual of the New Zealand 

 Flora, p. 103.) 



48165. Entelea aeboeescens R. Br. Tiliaceae. 



One of the handsomest of small trees, which used to be common along 

 the north coast of the North Island. In some places this tree is called 

 the New Zealand mulberry, on account of the shape of the large heart- 

 shaped leaves, which are beautifully veined, soft, and wilt quickly when 

 gathered. The pure-white flowers with crumpled petals are produced 

 in large drooping clusters, each single blossom being about an inch in 

 diameter. The fruit is dark brown and rough, with inch-long bristles. 

 The wood is remarkably light and was used by the Maoris for floats 



