
          54973. HYLOCEREUS POLYRHIZUS. Pitahaya. From Guayaquil, Ecuador. 
Presented by F. W. Goding, American consul general. A triangular-
stemmed cactus, very abundant on the coastal plain of Ecuador, where 
it may be seen climbing the trunks of trees by means of aerial roots. 
The roundish fruits, 5 to 7 inches long, have a thin, strawberry-red 
skin inclosing a mass of reddish, pleasantly acidulous pulp containing 
many small black seeds.

55754. HYPERICUM CANARIENSE. Presented by Dr. A. Robertson Proschowsky,  Nice, France. A small graceful tree, with drooping branches 
and delicate foliage. In its native home, the Canary Islands, it is 
often seen on dry sterile soils. Its attractive yellow flowers, with 
clusters of long stamens, make it an ornamental plant worthy of trial 
in the Southwest.

39117. HYPERICUM OBLONGIFOLIUM. From Darjiling, India. Presented 
by G. H. Cave, director, Lloyd Botanic Garden. A shrub from the 
western temperate Himalayas, considered meritorious as an ornamental 
plant for its terminal clusters of large white flowers which turn 
yellow with age. Probably sufficiently hardy for cultivation on the 
Pacific Coast and perhaps also in the lower South.

24638. ILEX CORNUTA. Holly. From northern China. Presented by Rev. 
J. M. W. Farnham. This holly has spiny, dark-green, glossy leaves, 
and in winter is loaded with clusters of scarlet berries. While it 
does not make as symmetrical a crown as does the native Christmas 
holly, Ilex opaca, its attractive foliage and bright-colored fruits render 
it a fine winter ornamental for the Southern and Western States.

55489. ILEX PARAGUARIENSIS. Yerba Mate or Paraguay tea. From the 
territory of Misiones, Argentina. Presented by D. S. Bullock, Agricultural 
Trade Commissioner. In recent years yerba mate has attracted 
much attention in Europe and North America. In parts of Argentina, 
Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil it is the favorite drink, taking the 
place of both tea and coffee; unlike the former, it contains but 
little tannin. Its stimulating effect is due to the presence of small 
quantities of caffeine. When well prepared, it tastes much like the 
best green teas of the Orient; unlike them, however, water can be allowed 
to stand upon the leaves indefinitely without making the drink 
appreciably stronger. To prepare yerba mate for market, the leaves 
are slightly roasted, without, however, requiring the careful regulation 
of temperature necessary in preparing true teas.

A relative of yerba mate, known as cassina (Ilex cassine), occurs 
abundantly in the southern United Statee. It yields a tea scarcely 
distinguishable from mate. Futhermore, the plant is much hardier. 
For these reasons it seems unlikely that mate will become of commercial 
importance in this country. At best its cultivation would be limited 
to Florida, since the plant is susceptible to injury by temperatures 
below the freezing point. For tropical regions, mate may be recommended 
as worthy of cultivation, at least for home use.

51788. ILEX sp. Holly. From Sibate, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Collected 
by Wilson Popenoe, Agricultural Explorer. A small tree with

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