76 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



"From the Eben Bacon estate, Prince Street, Jamaica Plain, Mass. A large tree with 

 the aspect of a butternut (/. cinerea) but closer, less deeply furrowed bark. Leaves 

 of few large leaflets. Nuts much like /. cinerea, but shell less sharply rough and husk 

 not glandular pubescent. Trunk about 4 feet in diameter at 2 feet from ground, at 

 4 feet from ground dividing into three large limbs." {Jack.) 



"A large widespreading specimen with a trunk diameter of 4 feet 3 inches about 

 2 feet above the surface of the ground and just below the point where it divides into 

 three large limbs, standing in the gi'ounds of Mr. Eben Bacon, of Jamaica Plain. This 

 tree is supposed to have been planted between 50 and 60 years ago." {Garden and 

 Forest, No. 349, October 31, 1S94.) 



36866 to 36887. 



From Pango Pango, Samoa. Presented by Commander C. D. Steams, Governor 

 of American Samoa. Received December 10, 1913. 



36866. Adenanthera pavonina L. Coral bean tree. 



"A handsome deciduous tree with spreading branches and bipinnate leaves 

 bearing pods of glossy, scarlet, biconvex seeds. Pinnae two to six pairs; leaflets 

 6 to 12 pairs, oval, obtuse, glabrous; flowers in racemes, munerous, small, white 

 and yellow mixed, fragrant; calyx 4 to 5 toothed; stamens 8 to 10; pods linear, 

 somewhat curved, bivalved, 10 to 12 seeded. 



"The tree is a native of the East Indies, where the jewelers use the seeds 

 for weights, each weigliing almost exactly 4 grains. The heartwood of the larger 

 trees is of a deep-red color. It is hard and durable and in India is sometimes 

 used as a substitute for red sandalwood. It fields a dye which the Brahmins 

 of India use for marking their foreheads. It has long been growing in Guam, 

 and is pretty well distributed over the island. Its vernacular name, kolales, 

 is an imitation of 'corales' (coral beads), and is likewise applied to the smaller 

 seeded Abnis abrus.^^ {W. E. Safford, Useful Plants of Guam.) 



36867. Barringtonia asiatica (L.) Kurz. Fiitu. 

 " Fiitu. A moderate-sized tree; cuts light but grows brown by exposure. 



The wood is curly, brittle, and soft; it is quite light and is used for canoes; it is 

 not a valuable wood for general use, though much esteemed by the natives on 

 account of the ease with which it is worked. The fruit is reduced to powder 

 and used to stupefy fish in a method of fishing called Sen. The leaves are 

 large and lustrous, like magnolia foliage, and the flowers are very beautiful.*' 

 {Stearns.) 



36868. Barringtonia samoensis A. Gray. 

 ''Falaga." 



Distribution. — ^A tree whose protruding red-stamened flowers are borne in 

 racemes 2 feet long. Found in Samoa and on the adjacent islands. 



36869. BiXA ORELLANA L. Annatto tree. 

 "Loa. A small tree, bearing prickly capsules containing seeds surrounded 



by red pulp, which yields the well-known annatto of commerce. Leaves cordate- 

 ovate, acuminate entire or angular, smooth on both sui'faces. 



"Annatto is prepared by macerating the pods in boiling water, removing the 

 seeds, and leaving the pulp to settle. The water is then poured off, and the 

 residuum, which is of a bright-yellow or orange color, is used as a dyestuff. 

 In Guam it is sometimes put in soup and rice. The Caroline Islanders use it 

 to paint their bodies, together with turmeric. It is sometimes used in the same 

 way by the Samoans. 



"The chief uses to which annatto is applied are for dyeing silk and cotton 

 orange yellow and for coloring cheese and butter. The color imparted to fab- 

 rics, however, is not lasting." {W. E. Safford. Useful Plants of Guam.) 



