JULY 1 TO SEPTEMBER 30. 1922 31 



55756 to 55761— Continued. 



Likiang Snow Range. The foliage is dark green, and the orange- 

 red, oval-pointed, sour fruits are much sought after by birds and 

 hence difficult to collect." 



55759. Peunus sp. Plum. 



"(Szemao. July, 1922.) A plum tree of fine shape, 40 to 50 feet 

 in height, growing in the mountains at an altitude of 5,000 feet or 

 more. The small yellow fruits, about the size of an olive, are not 

 very sour ; the flesh is scanty but quite tasty." 



55760. Pruxus sp. Plum. 



"(Szemao. July, 1922.) A plum tree growing in the mountains 

 at an altitude of 5,000 feet." 



55761. Peunus sp. Plum. 



"(Szemao. July, 1922.) A plum tree, 30 to 35 feet in height, 

 growing in the mountains at an altitude of 5,000 feet or more. The 

 fruit, somewhat larger than an olive, is yellow, hard, and sour. 

 Owing to its freedom from disease and prolific bearing, this species, 

 as well as the two preceding ones, should be suitable for stocks." 



55762. Garcixia mangostana L. Clusiacese. Mangosteen. 



From Paris. France. Seeds purchased from Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co. 

 Received September 6, 1922. 



For previous introduction and description, see S. P. I. No. 55728. 



55763. Acanthosicyos horrida TTelw. Cucurbitacese. 



From Louws Creek, Eastern Transvaal, Union of South Africa. Seeds 

 presented by E. B. Edwards. Received September 14, 1922. 



" Narras. A remarkable cucurbitaceous plant which grows on the dunes of 

 the Namib, where subterranean waters exist. The plant subsists even when 

 this water is at great depths. It forms thorny thickets on the sand hills of 

 Southwest Africa and is adapted to a hot, dry climate, with little or no rain- 

 fall. The fruit is the size of an ostrich egg. Both the pulp and seeds are used 

 as food by the natives. The fruits are produced in abundance, and for about 

 four months of the year the more primitive Hottentots are said to survive with 

 practically no other source of food or water. The fruits are eaten and water 

 is obtained from them. The seeds when ripe are plump, about the size of 

 watermelon seeds. 



"The plant is one which should, be of great value to our Indians of the 

 Southwest if once established on + he sand dunes of Arizona and southern 

 California. It is doubtful whether any plant can be obtained which seems 

 offhand to give greater promise in that region than does this cucurbit." (-H". L. 

 Shantz. ) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 55486. 



55764 and 55765. Prunus serotina Ehrh. Amygdalacese. 



Capulin. 



From the city of Guatemala, Guatemala. Seeds presented by Sr. Jorge 

 Garcia Salas, Director General of Agriculture, Received August 17, 1922. 



" In Guatemala this tree is found throughout the highlands generally, some- 

 times as a semicultivated plant, sometimes as a wild species, or at least having 

 the appearance of one. Its zone of cultivation lies between 4,000 and 9,000 

 feet. The Kiche Indians who live near Quezaltenango know the fruit as ' tup ' 

 and distinguish two varieties — the ' ek-i-tup ' (red tup) and the ' sak-i-tup * 

 (white tup), the latter having fruits of much lighter color than the former. 

 The presence of a name for this fruit in the Kiche language argues an ancient 

 cultivation in the Guatemalan highlands. 



