20 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED 



59279. Socratea exorrhiza (Mart.) 

 Wendl. Phcenicaceae. Palm. 



From Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Seeds presented by 

 Dr. L. H. Bailey, Ithaca, N. Y. Received April 

 17, 1924. 



This tall, handsome, spineless palm from tropi- 

 cal South America has a swollen cylindrical trunk 

 elevated on a pyramid of exposed roots, which 

 gives it a remarkable appearance. The trunk, 35 

 feet or more in height, bears at its summit a crown 

 of large, irregularly pinnate leaves; the flowers are 

 small and yellow and the fruits olive green. 



59280 to 59284. 



From Addis Ababa, Abyssinia. Seeds collected by 

 H. L. Shantz, Bureau of Plant Industry. Re- 

 ceived April 18, 1924. Notes by Doctor Shantz. 



59280 and 59281. Cicee arietixum L. Fabacea?. 



Chick-pea. 



59280. (No. 61. February 4, 1924.) Black form 

 from market. This is one of the important 

 crops in grain rotation. Black plants do not 

 produce brown seeds; these seem to be on sepa- 

 rate plants. 



59281. (No. 62. February 4, 1924.) Mostly 

 brown seeds. 



59282. Holcus sorghum L. (Sorghum rulgare 

 Pers.). Poaceae. Sorghum. 



(No. 66. February 4, 1924.) Type of sorghum 

 sold in market. 



59283. Pisum sativum L. Fabacea?. Pea. 

 (No. 64. February 4, 1924.) From market. 



59284. Tritictm durum Desf. Poaceae. 



Durum wheat. 



(No. 56. February 4, 1924.) A wheat with a 

 dark perianth; may be of value for breeding 

 purposes. 



59285 to 59288. 



From Angol, Chile. Seeds collected by Fred D. 

 Richey, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, and 

 Prof. R. A. Emerson, of Cornell Universitv. 

 Received April 19, 1924. 



Introduced for testing by cerealists. 



59285. Ayexa sterilis L. Poaceae. Oats. 



Avena rubia. 



59286 and 59287. Triticum aestiyum L. ( T. 

 iHlgareYHl.). Poaceae. Common wheat. 



59286. Chufkin. 59287. Florencio. 



59288. Zea mays L. Poaceae. Corn. 



A local 12-rowed flint variety with ears 8 inches 

 long. (Richey and Emerson.) 



59289. Colocasia esculexta (L.) 

 Schott. Araceae. 



From Dominica, British West Indies. Rootstocks 

 presented by Joseph Jones, curator, Botanic 

 Gardens. Received April 22, 1924. 



The "sulphur dasheen." as this is known here, 

 has handsome red leafstalks and is worth growing 

 as an ornamental. The tubers are sometimes used 

 as food, but are inferior to those of the common 

 dasheen. The name "sulphur" probably refers to 

 the color of the interior of the tubers. (Jones.) 



59290 and 59291. Trifolium pratexse 

 L. Fabaceae. Red clover. 



From Paris, France. Seeds purchased from Vil- 

 morin-Andrieux & Co. Received April 23, 1924. 



Locally grown seeds introduced for clover special- 

 ists. 



59290. From Cotes du Nord. 



59291. From Aisne. 



59292. Talixum triaxgulare (Jacq.) 

 Willd. Portulacaceae. 



From Manila, Philippine Islands. Seeds pre- 

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

 Received April 22, 1924. 



An erect, branching, herbaceous plant, about 3 

 feet high, native to the West Indies, and recently 

 introduced from Java into the Philippine Islands. 

 The flowers are pink and produced in great pro- 

 fusion. In the Philippines the fleshy, tender leaves 

 are boiled like spinach and served with meat, for 

 which purpose they are excellent. The plant is 

 easily propagated by cuttings. (Wester.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 57819. 



59293. Khata xyasica Stapf. 

 cea?. 



Melia- 



From Mount Silinda. Southern Rhodesia. Seeds 

 presented by Dr. W. L. Thompson. Received 

 April 19, 1924. 



The red mahogany is one of our most valuable 

 timber trees and is widely distributed over Mozam- 

 bique. It is fairly rapid in growth, though not 

 equal to some of the eucalypts in this respect. Ir 

 is found most often growing near streams, but also 

 on high ground at a distance from water. The 

 timber is very durable and is not attacked by 

 white ants or borers. ( Thompson.) 



59294 to 59298. 



From Amsterdam, Netherlands. Seeds presented 

 by the director, Botanic Garden. Received 

 April 22, 1924. 



A collection of leguminous plants and grasses 

 introduced for forage-crop specialists. 



59294. Aeschyxomexe ixdica L. Fabaceae. 



A bushy leguminous annual 1 to 3 feet high, 

 native to the Tropics, with pale-green, feathery 

 leaves. Procured for trial as fodder and as green 

 manure. 



59295. Brachypodtum mexicaxum (Roem. and 

 Schult.) Link. Poaceae. Grass. 



An erect annual Mexican grass with rather 

 narrow rough but succulent leaves. Its ultimate 

 height is about 3 feet. 



59296. Melica altissima L. Poaceae. Grass. 



A rather tall perennial European grass, 3 to 4 

 feet in height, with creeping rhizomes which 

 form a loose turf. The leaf sheaths and the 

 backs of the leaves are very rough. 



59297. SUTHERLAXDIA FRUTESCEXS (L.) R. Br. 



Fabaceae. 



A leguminous shrub about 3 feet in height, 

 with finely pinnate leaves and showy scarlet 

 flowers produced in short axillary racemes. 

 Native to the Mediterranean countries. 



59298. Syxtherisma saxguixalis (L.) Dulac. 

 Poaceae. Crab grass. 



Introduced for varietal studies. 



59299 and 59300. 

 L. Fabaceae. 



Trifolium prate x-e 

 Red clover. 



From Budapest, Hungary. Seeds purchased from 

 the Roval Hungarian Seed-Control Station. 

 Received April 23, 1924. 



Locally grown seeds introduced for clover spe- 

 cialists. 



59299. From the central part of the great Hun- 

 garian plain between the Danube and the 

 Theiss Rivers. 



59300. From the western part of Hungary, near 

 the Styrian border. 



