30 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPOKTED. 



35918 to 35975— Continued. 



sent from Santiago. Millions of these plants grow on the sands of the shore, 

 sometimes hardly beyond the reach of the waves. West coast of Chiloe." 



35954 and 35955. Gevuina avellana Molina. Avellano. 



35954. From southern Chile. Keceived June 10, 1913. "(No. 229. 

 February 16, 1913.) The nuts are edible and the tree is a remarkably 

 handsome one. It should prove a very desirable ornamental wherever 

 it can be grown in the United States. Found between Petrufquen and 

 Villarica, but widely distributed in southern Chile." 



35955. From Chile. Received May 7, 1913. "(No. 56.) An evergreen 

 tree with very handsome foliage, and when loaded with its bright-red 

 nuts it is particularly fine as an ornamental. The nuts are about five- 

 eighths of an inch in diameter and are agreeable in taste. The tree 

 grows well on the hills near Concepcion, but is probably more abundant 

 and reaches its greatest development in the province of Valdivia, where 

 the rainfall is greatest. Its maximum height is about 25 feet. ' ' 



35956. Greigia sphacelata (Ruiz and Pavon) Regel. 



From Quilan, Chile. Received June 10, 1913. "(No. 227.) Chuno. Per- 

 haps a species of Bromelia. The natives eat the seed capsule, which contains 

 a sweet juice, and consider it a delicacy. Should not be confused with the 

 dried potato called chuno in Peru." 



35957 and 35958. Gunnera chilensis Lam. 

 Received June 10, 1913. 



35957. "From Panguipulli, Chile. (No. 93.) Nalca. An araceous plant 

 growing in very wet, springy ground at Panguipulli. It is sometimes 

 called Chilean rhubarb, and the leaf stalks are utilized in the same way 

 that rhubarb is. The natives are quite fond of it, but North Americans 

 and Europeans do not consider it quite equal to rhubarb . I was told that 

 an excellent jelly could be made from the juice. In some other parts of 

 Chiloe, notably on the island of Chiloe, the plant attains a large size, the 

 leaves standing considerably above a man's head, and the leaf stalks are 

 4 or 5 inches in diameter. These large plants were found on high, sandy 

 bluffs near the sea. The plant seems to adapt itself to a variety of situ- 

 ations." 



35958. From Valdivia, Chile. 



"(No. 195.) Market at Valdivia, but obtained wild in several other 

 places." 



35959. Lapageria rosea Ruiz and Pavon. 

 From Concepcion, Chile. "(No. 319.) Copihue." 



"Stems many feet in length, climbing, terete, branched, naked below, here 

 * and there scaly. Leaves petiolate, ovate-lanceolate, coriaceous, glossy, acu- 

 minate, five nerved, and reticulated. Peduncles axillary and sohtary, longer 

 than the petioles, bearing a single, handsome, lily like pendulous flower, of a 

 deep-red rose color, internally especially spotted with white. Outer sepals 

 spatulate,with a gibbosity at the base, inner ones resembling them, but broader 

 and more spotted. Stamen and style shorter than the perianth. The roots are 

 used by the Chilenos as a substitute for sarsaparilla {Smilax sarsaparilla) . The 

 large, oblong, pulpy berry is prized as an esculent fruit, having a sweet and 

 most agreeable flavor." {Botanical Magazine, pi. 4447, 1849.) 



