48 



SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



51772 to 51777— Continued. 



51775. Mekrillia caloxylon (Ridley) Swingle. Rutacese. Katinga. 

 {Murray a caloxylon Ridley.) 



" No, 26. • A tree with large citronlike, somewhat woody fruit. The 

 seeds are embedded in a thick resinous substance which may be of eco- 

 nomic importance. The seeds germinate readily." 



The katinga, a tree of considerable size, native to southern Siam and 

 Upper Perak. is famous in the Malay Peninsula for its beautiful wood, 

 which is light yellow, ornamented with dark-brown streaks and stains, 

 fairly hard in texture, and takes a good polish. The large yellowish 

 green flowers are borne in small panicles; the thin, bright deep-green 

 leaves, 8 inches long, have 13 leaflets and a flattened winged rachis? 

 The fresh fruits are subglobose, 70 to 80 millimeters in diameter, nearly 

 smooth, gray-green, with a leathery pericarp 10 to 12 millimeters thick 

 with irregular branched lacunae filled with resinous gum. The five to 

 six locules, divided by cartilaginous solid walls 3 to 4 millimeters thick, 

 are filled with a transparent jellylike gum surrounding the seeds. It 

 is possible that this species would be worthy of cultivation as an orna- 

 mental plant. (Adapted from Philippine Journal of Science, vol. J3, 

 p. 33S.) 



51776. Oncospekma horridum (Griffith) Scheff. Phoemcacese. Palm. 

 " No. 20. The nihung, a very ornamental palm 80 feet high, which 



grows usually in swampy forests. The trunk is covered with spines ; the 

 wood is used for the manufacture of walking sticks." 



A tree with an armed trunk and few, spreading leaves, 14 to 16 feet 

 long, bearing very narrow, acuminate, spreading, coriaceous leaflets 2 to 3 

 feet long. There are two complete acutely margined spathes — the inner 

 cuspidate, the outer 1 to 1^ feet long and armed. The purplish black 

 fruit is borne on pendulous spadix branches 2 to 3 feet long. (Adapted 

 from Hooker, Flora of British India, vol. 6, p. 4^5.) 



For previous introduction, see S. P. I. No. 49549. 



51777. Oncosperma tigillaria (Jack) Ridley. Phcenicacere. Palm. 

 " No. 21. A palm similar to Oncosperma horridum [S. P. I. No. 51776 



(Rock's No. 20)], but much more graceful. It also occurs in swampy 

 forests." 



A very elegant palm, 30 to 40 feet high, distinctly annulate, armed, 

 with a thick graceful crown. The pinnate leaves are 10 to 12 feet long, 

 the pinnae 2 feet long, pendulous, coriaceous, ferruginous scurfy, bearing 

 on the under side scales attached by their middle. The globose berries, 

 the size of a carbine bullet, are borne on pendulous, purplish sanguine- 

 ous spadix branches. The two spathes are boat-shaped and stout, the 

 outer is green, covered here and there with whitish ferruginous scurf and 

 armed on the outer surface. The inner spathe is almost unarmed, more 

 scurfy, and velvety to the touch. The trunk is much used for making 

 posts. Native to borders of paddy swamps in Malakka and in forests 

 in Lainear. (Adapted from Calcutta Journal of Natural History, vol. 5. 

 p. 465.) ' 



51778. Zea MAYS L. Poacese. Corn. 

 From Marseille, France. Seeds presented by Mr. Stieljes, Institut Colonial 

 de Marseille, through Dr. P. J. S. Cramer. Received October 5, 1920. 

 "A curious variety of corn with a small cob and small cream-colored grains, 

 ^hich is said to be very productive." (Cramer.) 



51779 and 51780. Corylus coluexa L. Betulacese. 



Turkish hazel. 



From Rochester, N. Y. Seeds presented by John Dunbar, assistant superin- 

 tendent. Department of Parks,, through R. E. Horsey, Highland Park 

 Greenhouses. Received October 25, 1920. 



51779. The Constantinople nut is a vigorous, free-growing tree, up to 

 60 feet in height, with a stout trunk, more or less horizontal branches, 



