53 



PARMENTIEEA CEEEIFEEA. Candle tree. A remarkable 

 tree, native to Panama. It groTvs to a height of 30 to 40 feet, and 

 produces from the trunk and older branches a profusion of almost 

 sessile, bell-shaped, white or greenish^ flowers. The long, fleshy 

 frnits, a foot or more in length and only one-half to three-fourths of 

 an inch in diameter, closely resemble wax candles in color and appear^ 

 ance. They are edible and are delightfully fragrant. 



PASSIFLORA LIGULARIS. A perennial vine, with evergreen 

 heart-shaped leaves and strikingly handsome green and purple 

 flowers. Fruits medium sized, roundish or oval, with soft, edible, 

 sweetish pulp embedding numerous small seeds. Used in the prepa- 

 ration of cooling drinks, fruit sirups, and desserts. For fruiting and 

 breeding experiments. 



PASSIFLORA MALIFORMIS. Passion fruit. From Bogota, 

 Colombia. A climbing vine with attractive flowers, known in Co- 

 lombia as the "yellow curuba." Fruit is about 2 inches in diame- 

 ter, dingy yellow color when ripe, with a hard coat nearly one-fourth 

 of an inch thick and filled with seeds and a very agreeable pulp, 

 which is eaten without preparation or is often made into delicious 

 sherbets. 



42033. PASSIFLORA sp. Passion flower. From Mr. Ludo- 

 vic Soderstrom, Quito, Ecuador. Reported as a fruit much culti- 

 vated by the Indians of the Zambiza Valley, northeast of Quito. The 

 fruit is said to be small, very sweet, but somewhat seedy. 



PAULOWNIA FORTUNEI. Medium-sized ornamental tree 

 valued for its large, handsome, white or lilac-tinged flowers spotted 

 with purple. Able to withstand drought and a certain amount of 

 alkali. It is often planted on sandy land as a soil binder and wind- 

 break. The wood is very light and is used by the Chinese for furni- 

 ture, bowls, jars, children's toj^s, etc. Native of southeastern China. 

 Valuable only in mild-wintered sections of the United States. 



43661. PAVONIA SPINIFEX. From the Horticultural Divi- 

 sion, Ministry of Agriculture, Gizeh Branch, Cairo, Egypt. Orna- 

 mental shrub related to Althaea, with a slender stem, few upright 

 branches, alternate, oval, heart-shaped leaves, hairy on both sides,, 

 and large, yellow, odorless flowers. Native of South America. Not 

 hardy. f 



