16 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED 



58603 to 58623— Continued. 



53822. Viburnum dasyanthum: Rehder. Capri- 

 foliaeese. 



A hardy ornamental shrub about 7 feet high 

 from the mountains of western Hupeh, China, 

 where it grows at altitudes of 4,000 to 9,000 feet. 

 The narrow, toothed leaves are dark metallic 

 green above, paler beneath, and prominently 

 veined. The flowers are in lax panicles, and the 

 small red berries make the shrub a striking object 

 of beauty in the fruiting season. 



Viburnum phlebotrichum Sieb. and 



Zucc. Caprifoliacese. 



A deciduous shrub, native to Japan, which is 

 very similar to Viburnum wrightii, from the same 

 country. It becomes 6 to 10 feet in height, with 

 rather small, narrowly oval, bright-green leaves, 

 white flowers produced in cymes 2 to 4 inches 

 across, and roundish red berries which give the 

 shrub a very attractive appearance. 



For previous introduction, see S. P.I. No. 40200. 



58624. Bauhinia heterophtlla 

 Kunth. Csesalpiniaceae. 



From Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba. Seeds pre- 

 sented by Dr. Mario Calvino, director, Estacion 

 Experimental Agronomics. Received January 

 28, 1924. 



This is called "bejuco tortuga (turtle vine)," 

 because of the characteristic turtle-shaped swellings 

 in the older parts of the vine. It grows in low, 

 sandy places, chiefly on the edges of lagoons and 

 marshes in western Cuba, where it climbs over 

 trees and shrubs. The clusters of yellowish white 

 flowers appear in December. The young vine is 

 used by the natives for making rough baskets and 

 rope. ( Calvino.) 



58625 and 58626. Dioscorea spp. Di- 

 oscoreacese. 



From Mayaguez, Porto Rico. Tubers presented 

 by T. B. McClelland, horticulturist, Porto 

 Rico Agricultural Experiment Station. Re- 

 ceived January 31, 1924. Notes by R. A. Young, 

 unless otherwise stated. 



58625. Dioscorea cayenensis Lam. 



Yellow Guinea yam. 



Congo. In Mayaguez this is called Congo 

 amarillo, but in the San Juan market, where it 

 is found in greater abundance than other kinds, 

 it is known as Yellow Guinea. It thrives much 

 better in sandy soil than most yams. The large 

 roots attain a length of a foot, are rather cylin- 

 drical, and average a weight of 4 or 5 pounds in 

 favorable seasons. The interior of the starchy 

 root is a rich light yellow and turns dark brown 

 when exposed to the air. It is smoother and more 

 even grained than the water yams and not less 

 so than the roots of the White Guinea or the 

 Potato yams. It is rich yellow and of good tex- 

 ture when cooked. The flavor is pleasant and 

 compares favorably in richness with the best 

 yams. The vines of this variety are not angled; 

 they are small and very strong, and make a 

 moderately vigorous growth. (Adapted from 

 C. F. Kinman in Bulletin 27, Porto Rico Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station, pp. 20 and 21.) 



In addition to the data on quality given by 

 Kinman, it may be noted that this yam has a 

 slightly bitter taste; on this account special 

 methods of cooking may sometimes be required. 

 It is said that the bitterness is more noticeable 

 in immature tubers than in fully mature ones. 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 54901. 



58826. Dioscorea rotundata Poir. 



White Guinea yam. 



Guinea yam. A white-fleshed yam of excellent 

 quality and one of the most popular varieties 

 grown in Porto Rico. The tubers are usually 

 cylindrical and commonly weigh from 3 to 6 

 pounds each at maturity. 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 53006. 



58627. Carica candicans A. Gray. 

 Papayaceae. 



From Peru. Seeds presented by B. E. Dahlgren, 

 Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 111 . 

 Received January 31, 1924. 



Collected by J. F. Macbride, in Peru. (Dahl- 

 gren.) 



A wild relative of the papaya (Carica papaya), 

 which is native to the mountainous region of Peru 

 between Lima and Obrajillo, at an altitude of about 

 7,000 feet. It is a small tree, 6 to 10 feet high, with 

 a few stout branches and a fruit said to be shaped 

 like a cacao pod. It may be of use to horticul- 

 turists in southern Florida who are carrying on 

 breeding experiments with the papaya. 



58628. Eucalyptus delegatensis R. 

 T. Baker. Myrtaceae. 



From Tasmania. Seeds presented by Dr. J. G. 

 Lipman, director, agricultural experiment sta- 

 tion, New Brunswick, N. J. Received February 

 1, 1924. 



This seems to be a valuable timber tree in Tas- 

 mania, where it is native. (Lipman.) 



" The gum-topped stringybark is an erect tree, 

 often assuming the largest dimensions. The 

 branches are usually short and ascending, and the 

 bark is thin and fibrous." (L. Rodway, Tasmanian 

 Eucalypts, p. 15.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 58127. 



58629 and 58630. Juglans regia L. 

 Juglandacese. 



From Srinagar, Kashmir, India. Seeds presented 

 by R. K. Koul, Koul's Gardens. Received Feb- 

 ruary 2, 1924. 



Walnuts have been cultivated since remote times 

 in the hilly portions of India, and in Kashmir 

 especially the industry has been highly developed. 

 These seeds are from superior varieties which are 

 grown at an altitude of about 5,500 feet, in a region 

 where mild winters and warm, but not hot, sum- 

 mers prevail. 



58629. Kaghzi. 



58630. A small variety. 



58631 and 58632. Trifolium pra- 

 tense L. Fabaceae. Red clover. 



From Valence, Rhone, France. Seeds purchased 

 from Tezier Freres. Received March 12, 1924. 

 Locally grown strains introduced for clover 



specialists. 



58631. Harvested in the southern Alps. 



58632. Harvested in Drome, near Valence. 



58633 and 58634. Rhododendron spp. 

 Ericaceae. 



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

 Rock, National Geographic Society, Washington, 

 D. C. Received January 31, 1924. Notes by Mr. 

 Rock. 



58633. Rhododendron sp. 



(No. 10884. Tsarong. Tibet. November 23, 

 1923.) A shrub or small tree, 10 to 15 feet high, 

 collected on the banks of the Dzossutong, at an 

 altitude of 12,000 feet. All parts of the plant are 

 extremely aromatic, with a peppermint-turpen- 

 tine fragrance. The elliptical, thin, dark glossy 

 green leaves are greenish brown beneath, densely 

 dotted, and have red petioles. The flowers may 

 be pink. 



58634. Rhododendron sp. 



(No. 10885. November, 1923.) A tree or shrub 

 15 to 25 feet in height, sometimes with a trunk 10 

 inches in diameter, found on the slopes of the 

 sacred mountain Dokerla, Tibetan border, at an 

 altitude of 11,000 feet, in a mossy forest along the 

 banks of a stream. The lanceolate glabrous leaves 

 are dull green, paler beneath, and the red flowers 

 are in terminal umbels. 



