1547 
Trigonella sitavissima (Pabaceae), 49124. From Sydney, 
New South Wales. Seeds presented by Mr. J. H. Maiden, 
director, Botanic Gardens, through Mr. A. J.Pieters, 
Bureau of Plant Industry. This cloverlike plant , called 
"Darling clover" in Australia, where it is native, 
has fragrant stems and foliage, and in favorable lo- 
cations is perennial , becoming 3 feet or more in height. 
When grown on rich black soils subject to periodic In- 
undations, it produces a large amount of nutritious 
herbage, of which stock are particularly fond, and on 
which they fatten. It provides good feed in late win- 
ter and early spring, hence it is a valuable addition 
to pastures. Sir Thomas Mitchell wrote of this plant, 
which he called "Australian shamrock": "The perfume 
of this herb, its freshness and flavor, induced me to 
try it as a vegetable, and we found it delicious, and 
tender as spinach." The perfume is due to the presence 
of coufflarin. If cut when in flower, and properly cured, 
it makes good hay. (Adapted from Kew, Bulletin of Mis- 
cellaneous Information, 1909, p. 12.) 
Notes from Correspondents. 
A letter received August 26, 1918, from Mr. B. H. 
Hunnicutt , Lavras , Minas , Brazil , contains the follow- 
ing interesting account of the macauba palm. 
" Acroeomia selerocarpa, also called 'macaiba, 1 'macaja, 1 
'macajuba e coqueiro de catarrho,' is a palm 10 to 15 
meters [33 to 39 ft.] in height and is found over quite 
an extensive district reaching from the state of Ma- 
ranhao to the more southern states of Minas, Rio de 
Janeiro , and Espirito Santo. The trees frequently form 
large groups in which they can be counted by thousands . 
It grows in this way in the central and northern parts 
of Minas, expecially in the valley of the River das Vel- 
has and the Jequitinhonha River, and their tributaries . 
It is calculated that the district in this state which 
comprises within its limits the villages of Lapa, Jabot- 
icatuba, Taquarassu, Uniao, and Cipo e Santa Luzia, has 
spontaneous growth of more than a million of these 
. valuable palm trees. 
"It is an ornamental palm on account of Its elegant 
form, and for this reason it is cultivated in many of 
the cities of Brazil including the capital of the Re- 
public. It furnishes excellent fiber, good wood for 
many mechanical and artistic uses , the much appreciated 
palmetto, and acidulous pulpy fruits which are edible 
and pleasant to the taste. 
