JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1932 



75 



97910 to 97918— Continued 



97912. Englerophoenix regia (Mart.) 

 Kuntze (MaximiLana regia Mart.). 



No. 3684. Maripa palm. Purchased 

 in the market at Paramaribo, Surinam, 

 March 3, 1932. This is a massive pin- 

 nate palm up to 50 feet high, with per- 

 sistent leaf petioles and immense leaves, 

 reminding one of the Cohune. The sub- 

 acid fruits have thin fleshy pulp and are 

 much appreciated by the natives. 



97913. Euterpe edulis Mart. Para palm. 



No. 3690. Collected at Paramaribo. 

 Surinam, March 3, 1932. 



For previous introduction and de- 

 scription see 972S4. 



97914. Livistoxa hoogendorpii Andre. 



No. 3651. From the Georgetown Bo- 

 tanic Garden, British Guiana, February 

 23, 1932. A form with black fruits. 



For previous introduction and de- 

 scription see 97S16. 



97915. Mauritia flexuosa L. f. 



No. 3652. From near Flagstaff, Brit- 

 ish Guiana, February 23, 1932. A palm, 

 native to tropical Brazil, which grows to 

 a height of 150 feet and 30 inches in 

 diameter. Tho leaves are from 9 to 16 

 feet long. This is one of the so-called 

 ivory-nut palms. The fruit is spherical, 

 about the size of a small apple, and cov- 

 ered with small smooth reticulated scales. 

 The spadix loaded with fruit is of im- 

 mense weight, often more than two men 

 can carry. 



For previous introduction see 93533. 



97916. Phoenix sp. 



No. 3658. Collected in the Botanic 

 Garden, Georgetown, British Guiana, 

 February 26, 1932. A low-growing 

 form with scarcely any stem. The small 

 red fruits turn black at maturity. 



97917. LlVISTONA australis (R. Br.) 

 Mart. Australian fan palm. 



No. 3686. Collected March 4, 1932, 

 in Paramaribo, Surinam. A tall slender 

 palm from 30 to 40 feet high with smooth 

 trunk, 8 to 10 inches in diameter, and a 

 dense crown of circular leaves, 3 to 4 

 feet in diameter, divided nearly to the 

 base into narrow plicate segments. The 

 moderately hard light-colored wood is oc- 

 casionally used for light construction 

 work ; the leaves are used for baskets ; 

 and the unexpanded fronds, after being 

 dipped in boiling water, are dried, shred- 

 ded, and the fiber is used in making hats 

 resembling Panama hats. 



For previous introduction see 80186. 



97918. Thrinax sp. 



No. 3689. Collected March 4, 1932, 

 near Georgetown. British Guiana. A 

 graceful palm with brilliant white fruit 

 the size of marbles. 



97919 to 97922. Apium spp. Apiaceae. 



From France. Seeds presented by Prof. 

 D. Bois, Museum of Natural History, 

 Paris. Received March 12, 1932. 



97919. Apium am mi Urban. 



A tropical annual with fusiform roots 

 and either cespitose or with a branched 

 stem 2 or 3 feet high. The leaves vary 

 from linear to laciniate, and the small 

 white flowers are in small umbels. Na- 

 tive to Brazil. 



97919 to 97922— Continued 

 97920. Apium graveolens L. 



Celery. 



Introduced for the use of Department 

 specialists. 



97921. Apium nodiflorum Reichenb. f. 



A perennial native to fields and open 

 places in western Germany. The stem 

 of this species does not take root at the 

 internodes. 



97922. Apium repens Reichenb. f. 



A perennial herb with coarsely pin- 

 nately cut leaves. The stem develops 

 roots anywhere along the internodes. 

 Native to swampy places in northern 

 Germany. 



97823. Lonchocakptjs nicotj (Aubl.) 

 DC. Fabaceae. Nicou- 



From Peru. Roots presented by William J. 

 Dennis, Des Moines, Iowa. Received 

 March 22, 1932. 



A woody vine, climbing to the tops of 

 trees, with alternate compound leaves made 

 up of about seven ovate sharp-pointed 

 leaflets and axillary spikes of pea-shaped 

 purple flowers. It is native to Guiana and 

 Peru, where the roots are used as fish 

 poison. 



For previous introduction see 88328. 



97924 to 97941. 



From the West Indies and the Guianas. 

 Seeds and scions collected by David Fair- 

 child and P. H. Dorsett, agricultural ex- 

 plorers. Bureau of Plant Industry, with 

 the 1931-32 Allison V. Armour expedi- 

 tion. Received March 14, 1932. 



97924. Alpinia exaltata (L. f.) Roem. 

 and Schult. Zinziberaceae. 



No. 3676. March 3, 1932. Purchased 

 in the market at Paramaribo, Surinam. 

 The purplish-brown fruits of this plant 

 are used to flavor curry sauce and to 

 give it its yellow color. The flavor is 

 superior to that of turmeric. 



97925. Ananas sativus Schult. f. 

 Bromeliaceae. Pineapple. 



No. 2993. Purchased in the market at 

 Georgetown, British Guiana, February 

 24, 1932. A long rather slender sugar- 

 loaf shaped pineapple of a rather inferior 

 flavor. Introduced for breeding purposes. 



97926. ASYSTASIA GANGETICA (L.) T. 



Anders. Acanthaceae. 



No. 2964. Collected at the Botanic 

 Garden, Demerara, Georgetown, British 

 Guiana, February 24, 1932. 



For previous introduction and descrip- 

 tion see 97255. 



97927 to 97930. Citrus spp. Rutaceae. 



97927 and 97928. Citrus grandis (L.) 

 Osbeck. Grapefruit. 



97927. No. 3662. Scions and seed 

 collected in the Javanese village 

 of Lelydorp, near Paramaribo, 

 Surinam, March 4, 1932. Very 

 large pear-shaped fruits with thick 

 skin, pink flesh, and pink parti- 

 tions. 



97928. No. 3663. Collected near 

 Lelydorp, Surinam, March 4, 1932. 

 Scions of a red-fleshed Javanese 

 variety which is said to be sweeter 

 than the variety sent in under 

 3662 (97927). 



