SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED 



58461. Amaranthus gangeticus L. 

 Aniaranthacese. 



From Manila, Philippine Islands. Seeds pre- 

 sented by P. J. Wester, Bureau of Agriculture. 

 Received February 13, 1924. 



With its multicolored tops, ranging from pale 

 yellow to dark red in various shades, this variety, 

 known here as haum, is one of the most gorgeous 

 ornamental plants I have ever seen. It is rare in 

 Manila, but it is common in Cebu, where the 

 tender leaves are eaten like spinach. It ought to 

 do well in Florida and possibly in southern Cali- 

 fornia. ( Wester.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 53896. 



58462. Rhus coriaria L. 

 ceae. 



Anacardia- 



From Palermo, Italy. Seeds presented through 

 Edward I. Nathan, American consul. Received 

 March 22, 1923. Numbered January, 1924. 



Immense groves of this species are cultivated in 

 Sicily for the purpose of extracting tannin from the 

 leaves. The product is light and free from dis- 

 colorations and therefore commands a high price 

 in the world's markets. Large quantities of sumac 

 extract are imported annually into the United 

 States, since it is difficult to obtain from American 

 sumacs extracts which are as clear and as light 

 colored as the Sicilian product. The establish- 

 ment of commercial plantings of Ehus coriaria in 

 this country seems worthy of serious consideration. 



58463. Berberis replicata W. W. 

 Smith. Berberidaceae. Barberry. 



From Wisley, Ripley, Surrey, England. Plant s 

 presented by Fred J. Chittenden, director, Roya. 

 Horticultural Societv Gardens. Received Feb 

 ruary 16, 1924. 



An evergreen barberry originally collected by 

 George Forrest in thickets on the Shweli-Salwin 

 Divide, southwestern China, at an altitude of 

 11,000 feet. The rather small leaves have recurved 

 margins and are gray beneath. It is an early and 

 profusely flowering species, bearing its blossoms 

 all along the branches in a very attractive fashion, 

 and the deep-crimson berries make it handsome 

 in the fruiting stage. It appears to be quite hardy 

 in England. (Adapted from The Garden, vol. 87, 

 p. 186.) ^.^ Jmmmm m 



58464. Malus sylvestris Mill. (Py- 

 rus malus L.). Malaceae. Apple. 



From Simla Hills, Punjab, India. Scions pre- 

 sented by S. E. Stokes. Received February 16, 

 1924. 



A russet apple of good size and excellent flavor, 

 greatly appreciated in Simla by the English. The 

 tree, which is a strong grower and heavy cropper, 

 riperis its fruit in October, and we have often been 

 able to keep it until April or May. While in storage 

 the fruit turns to a golden yellow. At the altitude 

 of 7,000 feet in Kotgarh, where this tree grows, 

 many other temperate crops are also grown, such 

 as potatoes, corn, and barley, and such fruits as 

 c herries, plums, and apricots. (Stokes.) 



58465. Diospyros decandra Lour. 

 Diospyracese. 



From Algiers, Algeria. Seeds presented bv Dr. L. 

 Trabut. Received February 13, 1924. 



A wild persimmon from Cochin China, whose 

 yellow, edible, sweet fruits, about an inch in diam- 

 eter, are sold in the native markets of the small 

 towns. The tree is large, with spreading branches, 

 and produces excellent heavy timber, which is 

 white marked with black veins; the henrtwood is 

 sometimes black. 



58466^ Crotalaria anagyroides H. 

 B. K. Fabacese. 



From Buitenzorg, Java. Seeds presented by Dr. 

 P. J. S. Cramer, director, general experiment 

 station, Department of Agriculture, at the re- 

 quest of Charles L. Hoover, American consul, 

 Batavia, Java. Received February 14, 1924. 



The crotalarias are tropical leguminous plants, 

 of value for cover crops and green manure, for 

 which purposes they are used in the same manner 

 as cowpeas and velvet beans. Doctor Cramer, in 

 his letter of transmittal, writes that Crotalaria 

 anagyroides has proved more desirable than other 

 species in Java, mainly because it produces a larger 

 amount of foliage and the plants remain erect. 

 He says: "It is especially satisfactory at high 

 altitudes and is in such great demand for the tea 

 plantations in the higher mountains that we have 

 to limit our seed distributions to small quantities." 



Though cultivated in Java, this species is not 

 native to that part of the world. It is widely dis- 

 tributed in tropical America, where it occurs, 

 according to Grisebach (Flora of the West Indies), 

 from Mexico to Peru, and in the West Indies. 

 The same authority states that it is somewhat 

 shrubby in character, with erect puberulous stems 

 and leaves composed of three ovate-lanceolate 

 leaflets. 



58467. Spathodea Nilotic a Seem. 

 Bignoniacese. 



From Entebbe, Uganda. Seeds presented by the 

 chief forestry officer, forestry department. Re- 

 ceived February 14, 1924. 



Spathodea campanulata is proving to be an orna- 

 mental tree of unusual value for southern Florida. 

 For this reason the arrival of another member of 

 this genus is a matter of considerable interest. 

 S. nilotica, which is native in the upper Nile Valley 

 and the Belgian Congo, is a bushy tree reaching 

 about 20 feet in height. The leaves, which are 

 opposite and composed of 9 to 15 leathery leaflets, 

 are covered beneath with dense, short hairs. The 

 scarlet flowers, produced in short, compact termi- 

 nal clusters, are said to resemble closely those of 

 S. campanulata, which means that they are strik- 

 ingly beautiful. The behavior of this tree in 

 southern Florida will be watched with interest. 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 47502j 



58468 to 58470. 



From Yunnan, China. Seeds collected by J. F. 

 Rock, National Geographic Society, Washing- 

 ton, D. C. Received February 18, 1924. Notes 

 by Mr. Rock. 



58468. Abies forrestii Craib. Pinacea?. 



Fir. 



(No. 10673. December, 1923.) A handsome 

 tree 70 to 80 feet in height with a trunk 2 feet or 

 more in diameter, common on moist mountain 

 meadows and steep limestone slopes of the Li- 

 kiang Snow Range at altitudes ranging from 

 10,000 to 13,500 feet. The needles are white be- 

 neath, and the cones are purplish blue to black. 



58469. Abies sp. Pinacese. 



Fir. 



(No. 10887. December, 1923.) A tree 60 to 80 

 feet high with a trunk 2 to 3 feet in diameter, 

 found along meadows below Ladsakodjo, on the 

 eastern slopes of the Likiang Snow Range, at an 

 altitude of about 13,000 feet. The needles are 

 silvery beneath, the large, ovoid cones are bluish 

 black, and the scales have a central pointed spur 

 which is absent in Abies forrestii. 



58470. Picea sp. Pinacea?. 



Spruce, 



(No. 10888. December, 1923.) A tree 60 to 80 

 feet with long drooping branches, found back of 

 Nguluke, growing wild around the village temple, 

 at an altitude of 9,600 feet in the Likiang 

 Range. The needles are short, the cones are 

 larger, and the scales broader than No. 10S90 

 [S. P. I. No. 58498]. 



