1884 
Tasmania. Seeds presented by L. A. Evans, Secretary of Agriculture, Agri- 
cultural and Stock Department. An ornamental Australian plant with stiff 
grasslike leaves, sometimes 9 inches long and always growing in a tuft 
from the end of a very short stem, and with scapes 6 to 18 inches long 
bearing a simple raceme of pink flowers. (Adapted from Bentham, Flora 
Australiensis, vol. 4, p. 10.) 
CASTANEA MOLLissiMA (Fagaceae) , 56761. Chestnut. From China. Scions 
sent in by K. M. Gordon, South Shantung Industrial and Agricultural School 
of the American Presbyterian Mission (North), at the request of C. A. 
Reed, Bureau of Plant Industry. "(No. 7.) From Wan Chia Chang, 45 li 
(about 15 miles) northwest of Changli, Chihli. This tree, the finest I 
saw in China, is reported to produce very large, sweet nuts." (Gordon.) 
castanea sp. (Fagaceae), 56677. Chestnut. From Yunnan, China. 
Seeds collected by J. F. Rock, Agricultural Explorer of the Bureau of 
Plant Industry. "(No. 7742. December 1, 1922.) A tree 60 to 100 feet 
tall with trunks 4 to 5 feet in diameter, which grows on the summit of 
the Salwin Ridge. The leaves are large, broadly ovate, coarsely serrate, 
glossy above and silvery beneath. The burs are in spikes, and the nuts 
are small, something like those of the chinquapin, and very sweet and 
palatable. This is identical with the chestnut sent from the Talifu- 
Yangpi Trail, No. 6682 (S.P.I. No. 56080)." (Rock.) 
dahlia maxonii (Asteraceae) , 56665. Dahlia. From Chimaltenango, 
Guatemala. Seeds presented by W. Cameron Townsend. This beautiful plant 
is extremely abundant, both wild and cultivated, in many parts of the 
Guatemalan highlands at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet. The stems 
sometimes reach 15 or even 18 feet in height, and become quite woody to- 
ward the base. The slender branches bear the clusters of nodding flowers, 
some of which measure 4 or 5 inches across. When brought into culti- 
vation around the huts of the natives the species seems to lose its sta- 
bility, and in place of the single lilac-pink flowers appear double pink 
and double white forms, and less commonly, single white varieties. This 
dahlia is subtropical in its requirements and should succeed in southern 
Florida, provided suitable soil conditions are found. (Adapted from 
Journal of Heredity, vol. 11, pp. 265-266.) 
dioscorea TRIFIDA (Dioscoreaceae) , 56660. Yampi. From Cristobal, 
Canal Zone. Tubers presented by James E. Lewis, manager, Hotel Washington. 
"This yampi is usually of even form and somewhat club-shaped, and the 
tubers are commonly 4 to 10 ounces in weight; the inner skin is pink. 
The flesh is white, but often becomes slightly grayish when cooked. The 
flavor is much like that of the white potato, but the yampi has in addi- 
tion an agreeable sweetness." (R. A. Young.) 
