APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1921. 



35 



53177 to 53217— Continued. 



The stems are clothed witli narrow, stiff, sessile leaves of jjlossy dark- 

 green color and are surmounted by heads of bro^^'nish oranf^e flowers. 

 The plant is noted in Ecuador because of the fact that its leaves will 

 burn when green. Tlie flower heads retain their color even when dry. 

 The species will probably prefer a moist, rather cool climate such as 

 that of the Pacific Northwest." 



53180. Passiflora maliformis L. Passifloraceae. Granadilla. 



"(No. 583a. Ibarra. Ecuador. February 14, 1921.) Seeds of 

 GranndiUa (Jc hue.^o. grown in the valley of the Rio Chota, in northern 

 Ecuador, at an altitude of about 6.000 feet. This species is a vigorous 

 climber with ovate-cordate, light-green leiives about 3 inches long. The 

 flowers have a large, conspicuous, whitish green calyx, and the corona 

 is white, marked with purplish blue. The fruits are round, rarely more 

 than 2 inches in diameter, with a thin shell yellowish green on the sur- 

 face and whitish within. Though not more than an eighth of an inch 

 thick, this shell is so hard that it is broken with difficulty. Within it are 

 numerous small black seeds, each surrounded by juicy pulp of pale, 

 orange-yellow color, and acid, highly aromatic flavor, similar to that 

 of Passiflora eclulis. The fruit is eaten out of hand and is a good one, 

 worthy of cultivation in California and Florida, if it proves to be 

 suitable for those States." 



For an illustration of th"s new pnssion fruit from Ecuador, see 

 Plate 1. 



53181. Tacsonia QuixENsis-Benth. Passifloracejp. 



"(No. 6(X)a. From mountains near El Angel, Province of Carchi, 

 Ecuador.) Seeds of facso. From an elevation of about 12.000 feet. 

 This wild plant much resemb'es the cult vated T. molU.ssinia in foliage, 

 flower, and fruit. It grows abundantly in ravines and among brush at 

 high altitudes in northern Ecuador. The fruits are not much used by 

 the natives, though thej^ seem nearly as good as those of the cultivated 

 tacso." 



53182 to 53185. Persea amertcana iMill. Lauraceip. Avocado. 

 (P. gratissiiua Gaertn. f.) 



53182. "(No. 573. Hacienda San Vicente. Province of Carchi, Ecua- 

 dor. February IT, 1921). Budwood of avocado No. 47. Tantayo. 

 The parent tree stands in one of the huertas of the hacienda about 

 half a mile north of the house at ;'n altitude of 0.100 feet. This 

 variety, so far as can be judged by an examination of the parent 

 tree, is either a very unusual Mexican or else a hybrid between 

 the iMexican and West Ind an races. The fru t is of good size 

 (about 18 ounces n weight) ;inl of convenient oval form. In 

 appearance it is fairly attractive, being smooth, with the surface 

 light green. M'ashed or overspread with maroon purple at the 

 stem end. The skin is not woody ; it resem])les both in thickness 

 and texture that of such hnge-fruited iNIexican varieties as Puehla 

 and Gottfried. The flesh is cream colored, with a very few in- 

 conspicuous fiber markings. The quality is very good. The seed 

 is small and tight in the cavity. The tree appears to bear fair, 

 but not heavy, crops. 



"Formal description: Parent tree about 35 feet high, the trunk 

 18 inches thick at the biise, dividing about 8 feet above the 

 ground, and giving off the first branches at 12 feet. Crown oval, 

 slender, open. Fol'age when crushed has a very faint aniselike 

 odor scarcely detectable. 



"The fruit is broadly oval to obovod in form; weight about 18 

 ounces; length about 4 inches and greatest breadth about 3f 

 inches; base slightly tapering, the stem inserted to one side; apex 

 very slightly and obliquely flattened; surface smooth, light green 

 with numerous whitish green dots, and overspread with maroon 

 purple or dull purple around the stem ; skin thin, like that of 

 the largest fruited Mexican varieties, rather tender; flesh cream 



