OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, 1912. 



45 



1909 another species was discovered on the island of Hawaii, from whence came the 

 seed listed in this inventory. A study of living material and complete herbarium 

 specimens shows these plants to be trees which are larger than any known species of 

 Gossypium and are seen to differ from the species of that genus in several particulars. 

 The most conspicuous of these are : One ovule in each cell of the ovary ; large, rounded 

 calyx lobes which overlap in the bud and which usually fall before the capsule develops, 

 giving the calyx the appearance of being truncate. These trees have been considered 

 as belonging to a genus (Kokia) distinct from Gossypium. The new genus and species 

 were published in 1912 in Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, vol. 60, part 5, 

 pages 2 and 3." (Lewton.) 



According to Mr. J. F. Rock, the tree of Kokia drynarioides, said to be dead, bore a 

 few flowers and seed in the summer of 1914. Mr. Rock is propagating the species, 

 and has sent some of the seed to the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction. 



34666. HoLcus sorghum L. Sorghum. 



(Sorghum vulgar e Pers.) 

 From Deerbrook, Miss. Presented by Mr. G. M. Robertson through Mr. C. V. 

 Piper, of the Bureau of Plant Industry. Received December 10, 1912. 

 "'Chicken com' is an annual sorghum, somewhat resembling Johnson grass. It 

 was formerly abundant throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, but of late years has 

 become very scarce, probably due to the attacks of the sorghum midge. The origin 

 of this sorghiun is not known, and the seed is secured for the purpose of making a careful 

 comparison with Sudan grass, S. P. I. No. 25017, and Tunis grass, S. P. I. No. 26301." 

 (Piper.) 



34667. Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels. Argan. 



(A. sideroxylon Roem. and Schult.) 

 From Tangier, Morocco. Presented by Mr. Maxwell Blake, American consul 

 general. Received December 11, 1912. 

 See S. P. I. Nos. 3490 and 28783 for previous introductions and descriptions. 



34668 to 34671. 



From Lawang, Java. Presented by Mr. M. Buysman, Jardin Botanique. Re- 

 ceived December 7, 1912. 



34668. SwiETENiA MAHAGONi Jacquiu. Mahogany. 



"This is the sole representative of a genus of Cedrelaceae, peculiar to the 

 warmer parts of America, and yielding the timber known as mahogany of com- 

 merce. It is a stately tree, principally met with in Central America and 

 Mexico, growing on the rocky soil. The leaves are imparipinnate, and the 

 flowers axillary. The calyx is 5 cleft, short; the corolla has 5 petals, and the 

 stamens are united into a tube bearing 10 anthers; the fruit is a 5-celled woody 

 capsule, each cell containing numerous winged seeds. The bark is considered 

 a febrifuge, and the seeds, prepared with oil, were used by the ancient Aztecs, 

 as they are used by the modem Mexicans, as a cosmetic, under the name of 

 Pepitos del Sopilotl, or Tzontecomatl. The timber is largely employed in 

 making household furniture in this country." (Dr. B. Seemann, inLindley's 

 Treasury of Botany.) 



