1861 
about a day's travel north of Lanchow." (Reed.) 
castanopsis sp. (Fagaceae), 56472. Chestnut. From Yunnan, China. 
Seeds collected by J. F. Rock, Agricultural Explorer of the Bureau of 
Plant Industry. "(No. 6729. Mengka. October 12, 1922.) Seeds of a 
tree 50 to 60 feet high, which grows in the mountains at an altitude 
of 6,500 feet. The glossy, glabrous leaves are ovate-acuminate and 
toothed near the apices, and the burs, an inch to an inch and a half 
in diameter, incloBe two or three brown hairy nuts in each bur. The 
bur is quite similar to that of Castanopsis armata." (Rock.) 
chaetochloa ITAL1CA (Poaceae), 56399. Millet From China. Seeds 
presented by C. A. Reed, Bureau of Plant Industry. "(No. 60c. Peking, 
Chihli.) Millet forms one of the most important cereal foods of the 
natives of northern China. I consider it delightful as a breakfast 
food, although among the Chinese it is classed with sweet potatoes as 
•coolie food.' There are many varieties, ranging in height up to 3 or 
4, or even 6 feet, and there are said to be two distinct groups, the 
ordinary kind and the glutinous kind." (Reed.) 
cyrtanthus contractus (Amaryllidaceae) , 56198. From Pretoria, 
Transvaal, Union of South Africa. Bulbs presented by I. B. Pole Evans, 
chief, Division of Botany, Department of Agriculture, Pretoria. A 
handsome member of the amaryllis family from the Transvaal, where its 
conspicuous beauty as it flowers on the burnt-over fields hae earned 
it the name of "Fire-lily." The narrow, bluish green leaves are over 
a foot in length, and the Vandyke-red peduncle, 7 inches or over long, 
bears a pendulous cluster of faintly scented, scarlet or carmine flowers 
with strawberry-red pedicels. (Adapted from Flowering Plants of South 
Africa, vol. 1, pi. 4.) 
erythrina spp. (Fabaceae), 56187 and 56188. From Brisbane, Queens- 
land. Seeds presented by E. W. Bick, curator, Botanic Garden. 
56187. erythrina tomentosa. A small tree 10 to 15 feet high, with 
thick, rough, prickly bark; native to South Africa. The trifoliolate 
long-stemmed leaves, 10 to 14 inches long and wide, are densely hairy 
on both surfaces, and the bright crimson flowers are borne in many- 
flowered spikelike clusters. The woody pods, velvety on the surface, 
are alternately swollen and contracted, which gives them a bizarre ap- 
pearance. (Adapted from J. Medley Wood, Natal Plants, vol. 4, pis. 
384 and 385 . ) 
56188. erythrina vespertiuo. Coral tree. Usually a small tree, with 
prickly branches, broadly 3-lobed leaves, and numerous erect, showy 
racemes of red flowers. The soft, straw-colored wood is very light and 
spongy, and is used by the natives for making shields. The roots are 
