﻿34 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



from 1 inch to 1£ inches in diameter and quite round, with a nearly smooth, 

 brittle skin of a yellowish brown color. It contains a similar semitransparent 

 pulp, of an agreeable sweet or subacid flavor, and is largely sold in the mar- 

 kets.'" {Treasury of Botany, vol. 2, p. 784-) 



To be tested as a stock for Litchi chinensis. 



See S. P. I. Nos. 32006, 34206, and 39551 for previous introductions. 



For an illustration of the longan tree in fruit in Florida, see Plate III. 



41054. Litchi chinensis Sonnerat. Sapindacese. Litchi. 

 (Nephelium litchi Cambess.) 



From Canton, China. Presented by Mr. G. Weidman Groff, Canton Christian 

 College. Received September 2, 1915. 

 " Wai chih li chi." 

 See S. P. I. No. 38779 for description. 



41055. Pennisetum longistylum Hochst. Poaceae. 



Kikuyu grass. 



From Pretoria, Union of South Africa. Presented by Mr. I. B. Pole Evans, 

 chief, Division of Botany. Cuttings received September 3, 1915. 

 "Kikuyu grass. We originally obtained this grass from British East Africa, 

 which, so far as our experience goes, would appear to be one of the most 

 promising grasses that we have in this country. So far, although the grass has 

 been under cultivation at our botanical station for the past four years, it has 

 shown no signs of forming seed, and it was only last summer that it flowered 

 and enabled us to have it determined botanically. The grass has a creeping 

 habit, and cattle are passionately fond of it; it also makes a nice hay grass." 

 (Evans.) 



41056. Allium cepa L. Liliacese. Onion. 



From Teheran. Persia. Presented by Col. J. N. Merrill, Persian Army. 

 Received September 3, 1915. 

 " Onion seed from Tarum, which is about 24 miles west of Zendjan (Zinjan), 

 in western Persia. Mr. R. S. Reed, Controller of Finances of Zendjan, was kind 

 enough to get me the seed. Tarum has an altitude of about 4,000 feet ; irriga- 

 tion is used ; soil gravelly, probably contains alkali. They are the largest onions 

 I have seen, some of them being 6 inches in diameter by 4 in depth or larger. 

 Mr. Reed says the onions of Tarum are much esteemed by the Persians, who 

 eat them raw, as they have such good flavor." (Merrill.) 



41057. Myrciaria floribunda (West) Berg. Myrtaceae. 



Guava berry. 



From St. Croix, Danish West Indies. Presented by Mr. Longfield Smith, 

 director, Agricultural Experiment Station. Received August 30, 1915. 

 " Seeds of the guava-berry tree. The fruits of this tree make a delicious 

 preserve with an aromatic flavor ; they are also used with rum for making a 

 liquor called guava4}erry rum." (Smith.) 



