JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1920. 



57 



49582 to 49612— Continued. 



49593. LuFFA CYLiNDRiCA ( L. ) Roemer. Ciicurbitaceae. 

 (L. aegyptiaca Mill.) 



"(No. 303. November 25, 1919.) Seed of the luffa, which grows 

 abundantly here. Same as No. 273a [S. P. I. No. 49163]." 



49594. ]Maxihot glaziovii Muell. Arg. Euphorbiaceje. Ceara rubber. 

 "(No. 351. December 7. 1919.) The Ceara rubber plant was intro- 

 duced from South America, but is now one of the chief rubber plants 

 of Africa. The trees seem to grow well and are about 15 feet high." 



49595. OcHNA polyneuka Gilg. Ochnace?e. 



"(No. .326. December 7, 1919.) A small tree, 6 to 15 feet, which has 

 unusually attractive light-gi'een foliage and yellow flowers. The ochnas 

 are among the most attractive trees of this section. For ornamentals 

 they should be valuable wherever they can be grown. They withstand 

 long droughts in this country, but their reaction to cold or frost will have 

 to be determined experimentally." 



A fruiting branch of this shrub is shown in Plate V. 



49596. OcHNA sp. Orhnace^T. 



"(No. 327. December 7, 1919.) A low bush with red calyces, black 

 carpels, and light glaucous leaves. A most attractive plant, 1 to li feet 

 high, forming a low clump, which when in fruit is a mass of red sepals 

 set off by green and later black carpels. This is by far the most beau- 

 tiful ochna I have seen, but it forms only a low bush, seldom 2 feet high. 

 The shape is that of a low mound, about three or four times as wide as 

 it is high. The edge is often silvery with the foliage, while the top is red 

 and black from the sepals and carpels." 



49597. Odin A edulis Sond. Anncardiacere. 



"(No. 333. December 7, 1919.) A dark-purple grapelike fruit with a 

 delicate skin, somewhat musty in flavor but pleasant after the first taste. 

 It is eaten by the natives and is supposed to be a cure for ' black water 

 fever.' The fruits are produced before the leaves, the latter appearing at 

 about the time the fruits are ripe. The plant is acaulescent, or at least 

 does not develop much above the surface of the soil and thus escapes the 

 annual fires. It is abundant from Pretoria to Kafue." 



49598. Sesamum orientaij: L. Pedaliacea?. Sesame. 

 "(No. 343. December 7, 1919.) A plant quite abundant on the flats; 



said by the natives to be an oil plant." 



49599. Strychnos sp. Loganiaceje. 



"(No. 310. December 4, 1919.) The small -fruited sweet variety ; it is 

 relished by the natives. It is lemon-orauge in color, has a thick stony 

 rind, yellowish brown inside, and is rather juicy, with a tart but very 

 agreeable flavor. It is unlike any fruit I have eaten, is much easier to 

 eat than an orange and, I should say, as agreeable to the taste. In eating, 

 the seeds are rejected, as are those of pomegranates. The fruits are borne 

 in great abundance and apparently are possessed of excellent keeping 

 qualities. I think this well worth trying out in cultivation." 



For an illustration of fruits of this species, see Plate VI. 



49600. Strychnos sp. Loganiaceae. 



"(No. 311. December 4. 1919.) A lorge fruit. 3 to 5 inches across, 

 very like No. .310 [S. P. I. No. 49599], but not of as good flavor according 

 to the natives. I doubt whether there is much difference." 



