28 



PLANT MATERIAL INTRODUCED 



98793 to 98888— Continued. 



93377. Psidium sp. Myrtaceae. 



No. 3807. From Kaleel, Surinam, March 4, 

 1932. A wild relative of the guava which bears 

 fruits 1 inch in diameter composed mostly of 

 angular hard seeds. Of possible value in breeding 

 with the ordinary guava. 



98873 and 98879. Quassia amara L. Simaroub- 



A lofty tree, native to Surinam, which resembles 

 the ash, with large showy red flowers, followed by 

 beautiful and decorative fruits arranged in fives 

 around a fleshy peduncle. The wood of this tree 

 is extremely bitter and was found to be a remedy 

 for certain fevers by a Negro named Quassi. 



98378. No. 3661. From the Botanic Garden, 

 Paramaribo, Surinam, March 2, 1932. 



98879. No. 3802. Presented by Pere Quentin, 

 of Basse Terre, Guadeloupe, March 13, 1932. 



Ravenala guyanensis 

 aceae. 



Steud. Mus- 



No. 3866. From an Indian village near Para- 

 maribo, Surinam, March 3, 1932. There are only 

 two species in the genus, one in Madagascar and 

 the other in Guiana. This species is not so large 

 as the Madagascar one, but it rises to a height of 

 25 feet making a fanlike head. Its enormous 

 flower spike is 9 feet long and as much as a man 

 can carry. Unlike the Madagascar species, the 

 ssed of which has a deep-blue aril, this has an 

 orange aril. 



98881. Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr. (Pithecol- 

 ■ lobium saman Benth.) . Mimosaceae. 



No. 2966. From the Botanic Garden, George- 

 town, British Guiana, February 24, 1932. The 

 rain tree of the West Indies. A large spreading 

 tree up to 60 feet high, native to Central America, 

 but widely distributed throughout the Tropics as 

 an ornamental and shade tree. The horizontal 

 branches are extremely long, and between each 

 pair of leaflets there is an extra-floral nectary, 

 which exudes nectar and attracts insects. The 

 dropping of this nectar has given the tree the 

 reputation of producing rain. The dark pods, 

 like carob beans, are filled with sweet pulp and 

 are fed to stock. The wood is not very hard, but 

 the heartwood is a handsome red color and takes 

 a fine polish. 



For previous introduction see 93364. 



93882. Sicana odorifera (Veil.) Naud. Cucur- 

 bitaceae. Casabanana. 



No. 3772. From Fort-de-France, Martinique, 

 French West Indies. A subtropical ornamental 

 cucurbitaceous vine producing large fruits a foot 

 or more long. Its texture and flavor are extremely 

 pleasant, reminding one of a summer squash. 

 For cultivation the vine would require a strong 

 trellis like the chayote. 



For previous introduction see 92926. 



98883. Stigmaphyllon lingulatum (Poir.) 

 Small. Malpighiaceae. 



No. 3850. From the village of Sandy Ground, 

 Anguilla, Leeward Islands, March 16, 1932. A 

 woody vine with glossy foliage and flowers which 

 resemble those of crapemyrtle except that they 

 are a pretty yellow color. The winged fruits are 

 borne in pairs. 



For previous introduction see 33585. 



98884. Tamabindus indica L. Caesalpiniaceae. 



Tamarind. 



No. 3790. From a hillside above the village of 

 Bottom, Saba, Netherland West Indies, March 

 15, 1932. A tree bearing unusually large fine 

 fruits. Some of the pods were 8 to 9 inches long 

 and over an inch wide. 



98793 to 98888— Continued. 



98885. Trimeza martinicensis (Jacq.) Herb. 

 (Cipura martinicensis H. B. K.). Iridaceae. 



No. 3303. From a terrace just below the rain- 

 forest edge in the St. Cloud region above Basse 

 Terre, Guadeloupe, March 13, 1932. A yellow 

 tigridialike plant 18 inches high, with small 

 round rhizomes having intensely yellow flesh, 

 light-green leaves, and small fugaceous yellow 

 flowers. 



For previous introduction see 97762. 



. Vangueria madagascariensis Gmel. 

 Rubiaceae. 



No. 3762. From Guadeloupe, March 13, 1932. 

 A small deciduous tree with large light-green 

 leaves having prominent midribs. In March 

 and April it bears quantities of globular green 

 fruits over 1 inch in diameter, which become 

 brown when ripe. The seeds are surrounded by 

 slightly acid brown pulp, reminding one of the 

 tamarind. 



98887. Vigna lutea (Swartz) A. Gray. Fab- 



No. 3885. From Road Town, Tortola, British 

 Virgin Islands, March 19, 1932. 



For previous introduction and description see 



98728. 



98888. Zea mays L. Poaceae. 



Corn. 



No. 3691. From the market, Paramaribo, Sur- 

 inam, March 3, 1932. Introduced for the use of 

 plant breeders who are searching for a strain 

 resistant to the corn ear worm. 



98889 to 98903. 



From Egypt. Seeds presented by Alfred Bircher, 

 Middle Egypt Botanic Garden, El Safl. Re- 

 ceived April 25, 1932. 



98889. Acrocarpus fraxinifolius Wight and 

 Am. Caesalpiniaceae. 



A lofty tree, native to the eastern Himalayas up 

 to 4,000 feet altitude. The sapwood is white and 

 the heartwood light red and moderatelyhard. The 

 natives use the wood for planking and tea boxes. 



For previous introduction see 57882. 

 (H 



Brahea dulcis 

 Phoenicaceae. 



B. K.) Mart. 

 Palma dulce. 



A short palm, up to 20 feet high, native to Mexi- 

 co. The fan-shaped leaves, 4 to 5 feet long, are 

 made up of about 50 linear leaflets, and the globose 

 yellow edible fruits are borne on pendulous much- 

 branched stalks 6 to 8 feet long. 



Phoeni- 

 Palm. 



Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc. 

 caceae. 



A large palm, like the coconut, native to Ar- 

 gentina, with a spineless trunk, pinnate leaves, 

 and large bunches of small edible fruits. It is 

 said to be hardier than any species of Cocos. 



For previous introduction see 82399. 

 98892. Canthium parviflorum Lam. Rubiaceae. 



A rigid spiny shrub, native to India and Ceylon. 

 The crowded leathery ovate to orbicular leaves are 

 about 1 inch long, and the very small yellowish 

 flowers, borne in cymes, are followed by obcordate 

 fruits less than 1 inch long. 



98893. Cereus jamacaru DC. 



Cactaceae. 



Mandacaru. 



A rigid upright cactus 12 to 16 feet high and 6 

 inches in diameter, native to Brazil. The new 

 growth is azure, becoming dark green with age, 

 and the large white flowers are 10 inches long and 

 8 inches across. 



