24 



PLANT MATERIAL INTRODUCED 



65578 to 65583— Continued. 



known as "chicken-heart persimmon." 

 There seem to be a number of subvai ieties 

 falling under this group, varying some- 

 what in size, shape of fruit, and in number 

 of seeds. The fruits are oblong, some- 

 times nearly square in cross section, and 

 with a slight, sharp projection at the apex. 

 The season for this variety or group 

 extends from the last of August to the last 

 of October, the longest of any variety 

 known to me. As with other varieties of 

 persimmons here, this variety is harvested 

 when the skin has turned yellow, but 

 while the flesh is still firm. The fruits are 

 ripened by what is known as the banyan- 

 leaf method; they are kept in earthenware 

 jars between layers of fresh banyan leaves 

 for two to four days to remove the pucker. 

 The flavor is excellent, suggesting the 

 rich, sweet, aromatic flavor of well-ripened 

 fruits of Diospyros virginiana. This is 

 one of the most prolific varieties cultivated 

 here. 



65580. No. 175. Taai tsz. From a tree with 

 unusually large leaves, belonging to Mok 

 Pan. A large, red-fruited, seedless variety 

 of excellent quality and flavor. The 

 season is from late August until early 

 October. 



65581. No. 176. Sai paat sin tsz. A rather 

 small red-fruited variety with few seeds, 

 obtained from Mok Oo. The fruits are 

 larger and more nearly globose than those 

 of No. 174 [No. 65579]. This variety seems 

 to be distinguished from No. 173 [No. 

 65578] simply by the smaller average size 

 of its leaves and fruits. 



65582. No. 177. Toichung, Honam Island. 

 October 26, 1925. Shui tsz, Ma t'ai yeung 

 tsz. Obtained from Chue Tung. The 

 fruits are 4 to 5 centimeters in diameter, 

 globose, light yellow, rather seedy, and 

 have firm flesh. 



65583. No. 178. Toichung, Honam Island. 

 October 26, 1925. Taai shui tsz. From 

 a tree belonging to Chue Tung. A grafted 

 tree bearing large, nearly seedless fruits 

 with firm, mellow flesh, which should 

 be ripened by the limewater method. 



65584 and 65585. • 



From Santa Cruz, Palma, Canary Islands. Seeds 

 purchased by David Fairchild, agricultural 

 explorer, Bureau of Plant Industry, Allison 

 V. Armour expedition, through Aboucher & Co. 

 Received December 7, 1925. 



65584. Cytisus palmensis (Christ) Hutchinson. 

 Fabaceae. Tagasaste. 



A stout leguminous shrub, up to 12 feet high, 

 of rather lax habit, with long slender branches 

 and green trifoliolate leaves with silky pubescent 

 lower surfaces. The white flowers are in axil- 

 lary clusters among the branches. It is native 

 to the Canary Islands, where it is considered an 

 excellent drought-resistant forage plant. 



For previous introduction, see No. 28827. 



65585. Psoralea bituminosa L. Fabaceae. 



The Tedera is a herbaceous perennial about 

 3 feet high which is found everywhere along the 

 roads and trails throughout the barrancos of the 

 islands and on some of the terraces, where the soil 

 is too shallow and dry for alfalfa; it is cultivated 

 for its hay. It is said to be a splendid milk 

 producer. (Fairchild.) 



For previous introduction, see No. 64970 . 



65586. Montezuma speciosissima 

 DC. Bombacaceae. 



From San Juan, Porto Rico. Seeds presented by 

 C. A. Figueroa, assistant agricultural adviser, 

 Department of Agriculture and Labor. Re- 

 ceived December 3, 1925. 



A Porto Rican tree, which, as described by 

 N. L. Britton and Percy Wilson (Scientific Survey 

 of Porto Rico, vol. 5, p. 565), is up to 50 feet in 

 height with a trunk sometimes a foot in diameter. 

 The papery, rounded-oval leaves are 2 to 8 inches 

 long, and the tree is commonly planted for shade in 

 Porto Rico because of its showy flowers, which are 

 deep pink shading to crimson within, with yellow 

 anthers. The hard, valuable, durable wood, 

 brown in color, is used for cabinetwork and for 

 general construction. 



65587. Meibomia GANGETicA(L.)Kuntze 

 (Desmodium gangeticum DC). Fa- 

 baceae. 



From Dehra Dun, United Provinces, India. Seeds 

 presented by R. N. Parker, forest botanist. 

 Received December 15, 1925. 



As described by J. G. Baker (Hooker, Flora of 

 British India, vol. 2, p. 108), this is a woody herba- 

 ceous plant, more or less erect and 3 to 4 feet high, 

 with oblong leaflets 3 to 6 inches long and copious 

 lateral and terminal flower clusters. Native to 

 the Himalayas, and distributed throughout the 

 East Indies and tropical Africa. Introduced for 

 trial as a forage plant and for use in soil improve- 

 ment in the Southern States. 



For previous introduction, see No. 30874. 



65588 to 65590. 



From Kew, Surrey, England. Seeds presented by 

 Dr. S. D. Cotton, keeper of the herbarium, Royal 

 Botanic Gardens. Received December 15, 1925. 

 Notes by Doctor Cotton. 



65588 and 85589. Beta vulgaris L. Chenopo- 

 diaceae. Wild beet. 



65588. Collected in North Somerset by I. M. 

 Roper. 



65589. Collected in Lymington by Miss S. Ji 

 Chandler. 



65590. Brassica oleracea L. Brassicaceae. 



Wild cabbage. 



Collected in a remote part of Dorsetshire. 



65591 to 65610. Berberis spp. Ber- 

 beridaceae. Barberry. 



From Paris, France. 

 Andrieux & Co. 



Seeds presented by Vilmorin- 

 Received December 15, 1925. 



65591. Berreris acuminata Franch. 



A Chinese barberry, which, as described by 

 W. J. Bean (Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the 

 British Isles, vol. 1, p. 234), is an evergreen 

 shrub of open spreading habit, with bright-red 

 young growth and stout three-parted spines 3 to 

 6 inches long. The brownish yellow flowers, 

 three-fourths of an inch broad, are in clusters of 

 four to eight in the axils of the previous year's 

 shoots. The oblong, black fruits are half an 

 inch long. Native to central China. 



For previous introduction, see No. 58088. 



65592. Berberis aggregata prattii C. 

 Schneid. 



As described in Curtis's Botanical Magazine 

 (pi. 8549), this is a hardy shrub 6 to 10 feet high, 

 with slender three-parted spines, oval leaves, 



