. i : R A R Y UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INVENTORY No. Washington, D. C. T Issued May, 1930 PLANT MATERIAL INTRODUCED BY THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN PLANT INTRODUCTION, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 1929 (NOS. 78509 TO 80018) CONTENTS Page Introductory statement 1 Inventory 3 Index of common and scientific names 61 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT The plant material included in this inventory (Nos. 78509 to 80018) for the period January 1 to March 31, 1929, reflects very largely testing experiments undertaken by the office with ornamental plants in several important genera. In nearly all cases the material recorded was secured by the purchase of seed, and, as is always true of such undertakings, some seed has given no germination, with the result that the experiments are not as advanced as might appear., This is particularly true of the sedums, the primulas, and the gentians, which form conspicuous parts of the inventory. The gardener will also notice the various other ornamentals, including the houseleeks, cyclamen, and ericas for more northern gardens; aloes, agaves, and mesembryanthemums for the South and Southwest, with the possible addition of the very interesting kalanchoes and the gingerlilies. The latter represent a collection purchased from India to see if other species might not be found for general use in the Southern and Gulf States. A preliminary and not altogether successful importation of plants of various daphnes that should be included among our ornamental shrubs shows that repeated efforts should be made to establish these charming plants. Several collections of acacias, banksias, grevilleas, and Ficus species should prove of interest in frost-free regions, particularly on the Pacific coast. This inventory includes also large collections of oaks, castanopsis, and chest- nuts obtained by R. Kent Beattie; a collection of oat varieties, presented by the director of the Sveriges Utsadesforening, Svalof, Sweden; and a collection of seeds presented by Maj. Lionel de Rothschild from material collected by Capt. F. Kingdon Ward in Assam. Especially because this inventory lists so many seeds, it should be repeated that this is merely a record of material received and does not represent a cata- logue of available plants. The botanical determinations of these introductions have been made and the nomenclature determined by H. C. Skeels, who has had general supervision of this inventory. KNOWLES A. RYERSON, Principal Horticulturist, in Clia/rge. OFFICE OF FOREIGN PI-ANT INTRODUCTION, Washington, D. C, February 20, 1930. 99895—30 1 INVENTORY* 78509. EBYTHKOXYLON COCA Lam. 78512 and 78513. AMYGDALUS PERSICA Evythroxylaceae. Cocaine-tree. L. (Prunus persica Stokes). Amyg- From Soledad, Cienfuegos, Cuba. Seeds dalaceae. Peach. presented by R. M. Grey, superintendent, From Nikita, Yalta. Crimea, Russia. Trees biological laboratory and botanical gar- presented by I. N. Riaboff, Government den, institute for tropical biology and Botanical Garden. Received February medicine, Harvard University. Received 11, 1929. June 10, 1927. Numbered in January, 1929. 78512. Pahhnn. 78518. Yennoh. A tropical shrub, native to Peru, 5 to 6 feet high, with rusty brown slender 78514 and 78515. branches bearing clusters of obovate leaves From Japan. Seeds obtained by R. K. Beat- at their tips. The yellowish flowers are tie, Bureau of Plant Industry. Received borne in clusters of three to five in the February 21, 1929. axils of small scales which line the branch- lets. It is grown commercially on a large Collected by Shimoyaku Eirinsho, at Na- scale throughout the warmer parts of kama Kaikon, Shimoyaku Mura, Kumage South America, also in Java and Ceylon, Gun, Kagoshima Ken, in January, 1929. for the sake of cocaine, which is extracted from the dried leaves. 78514. CASTANOPSIS CUSPIDATA (Thunb.) Schottky. Fagaceae. For previous introduction see No. (57943. Japanese chinquapin. 78510. CYRTANTHUS FLAMMEUS Hort. No. 850. Shihi. In Japan this tree is commonly cultivated from Tokyo south- Aniaryllidaceae. ward. It grows from 30 to 75 feet high, From Philadelphia, Pa. Bulbs presented by with massive wide-spreading branches. James Lambert, superintendent of the The leaves are variable in size and shape botanical laboratories of the University and vary in color on the under side from of Pennsylvania. Received March 8, brownish to nearly white. The small, 1929. sweet acorns are baked, boiled, or roasted, and regularly sold in the Japanese mark- A South African bulbous perennial which ets. This tree is hardy only in the is a rapid grower. It has linear to lanceo- southernmost United States. late leaves and umbels of red flowers. For previous introduction see No. 78511. PIOSPYROS SINENSIS Hemsl. 75864. Diospyraceae. Persimmon. Oak. 78515. QUERCUS sp. Fagaceae. From Nanking, China. Plants obtained through W. T. Swingle, Bureau of Plant No. 849. Ubamcgashi. Industry. Received March 6, 1929. 78516. GOSSYPITJM STOCKSII Masters. A small semievergreen Chinese tree with Malvaceae. Cotton. a short thick trunk, wide-spreading branches and spiny branchlets, thick oblong-lanceo- From Nagpur, Central Provinces, India. late leaves 2 to 3 inches long, and globose Seeds presented by W. Youngman, eco- or oyoid golden edible fruits nearly an inch nomic botanist to the Government. Re- in diameter. ceived March 1, 1929. 1 It should be understood that the names of horticultural varieties of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and other plants used in this inventory are those under which the material was received when introduced by the Office of Foreign Plant Introduction and, further, that the printing of such names here does not constitute their official publication and adoption in this country. As the different varieties are studied, their entrance into the American trade forecast, and the use of varietal names for them in American literature becomes necessary, the foreign varietal designations appearing in this inventory will be subject to change with a view to bringing the forms of the names into harmony with recognized horticultural nomenclature. It is a well-known fact that botanical descriptions, both technical and economic, sel- dom mention the seeds at all and rarely describe them in such a way us to make possible identification from the seeds alone. Many of the unusual plants listed in these inven- tories are appearing in this country for the first time, and there are no seed samples or herbarium specimens with ripe seeds with which the new arrivals may be compared. The only identification possible is to see that the santple received resembles seeds of other species of the same genus or of related genera. The responsibility for the identifications therefore must necessarily often rest with the person sending the material. If there is any question regarding the correctness of the identification of any plant received from this office, herbarium specimens of leaves and flowers should be sent in so that definite identification can be made. PLANT MATERIAL INTRODUCED 78516—Continued. ] 78526—Continued. A tropical Indian shrubby cotton with No. 8690. September 26, 1928. A big small yellow flowers. It came originally ornamental vine of the middle forest, grow- from the Sind Desert, and is of the 13- ing at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Native haploid-chromosome group and therefore to Assam. will not cross with American types. The seed is difficult to germinate. It is sown 78527. DIOSPYROS SINENSIS H e m s 1. in Nagpur about June, and before sowing Diospynieeae. Persimmon. the coat is carefully split with a knife or the seed is rubbed upon a piece of flue sand- From Algeria, Africa. Seeds presented by paper, which allows access of water and Dr. L. Trabut, Government botanist, Al- helps germination. giers. Received March 8, 1929. For previous introduction see No. 77215. A large-fruited variety grown at the Station Botanique, Algiers, in 1928. 78517. DIEEVILLA sp. Hydrangeaceae. 78528 and 78529. From Morden, Manitoba, Canada. Cuttings presented by W. R. Leslie, superintendent From the New Hebrides. Seeds presented of the experimental station for southern by Dr. E. D. Merrill, dean, college of Manitoba. Received March 7, 1929. agriculture, University of California. Re- ceived February 18, 1929. A hardy ornamental shrub originally from Fort William, Ontario, Canada. 78528. ARECA sp. Phoenicaceae. Palm. 78518 to 78523. No. 547. A tall pinnate-leaved palm similar to Arccu catechu, the betel palm. From Rome, Italy. Scions presented by Signor Pirovano, through the American 78529. SEAFOUTHIA sp. Phoenicaceae. consulate, Rome. Received February 1, Palm, 1929. No. 039. A pinnate-leaved palm. 78518. PRUNUS CERASELLA Hort. Amygdalaceae. Plum. 78530. OASTANOPSIS CONCINNA (Champ.) A. DC. Fagaceae. A very early hard plum. Evergreen chinquapin. 78519 to 78522. PRUNUS DOMESTICA X AMYGDALUS PERSICA. Amygdalaceae. From Hong Kong. China. Seeds presented by II. Green, Superintendent, Botanical Plum-peach hybrids. and Forestry Department. Received Feb- ruary 20, 1929. 78519. A strong-growing hybrid with sterile pink flowers. A Chinese tree with oblong-lanceolate en- tire leathery leaves about 3 inches long, 78520. An extra strong hybrid with and densely spiny burs containing a soli- pink flowers. tary depressed-globular nut. 78521. A normal hybrid. 78531. GYNUEA VIDALIANA Elmer. As- 78522. A fertile hybrid with heartlike fruit that bursts. toraeeae. From Manila, Philippine Islands. Seeds 78523. PRUNUS SALICINA X DASYCARPA. presented by P. J. Wester, Bureau of Amygdalaceae. Hybrid plum. Agriculture. Received February 20, 1929. 78524. SARACA INDICA L. Caesalpinia- An interesting Philippine herb with ceae. Common saraca. orange-colored flowers popular with bees. From Buitenzorg, Java. Seeds presented 78532 and 78533. by Dr. W. M. Docters van Leeuwen, Di- From Richmond, Victoria, Australia. Seeds rector, Java Botanic Gardens. Received presented by F. II. Baker. Received February 4, 1929. February 20, 1929. No. 200. A medium-sized Indian tree with pinnately compound leaves of 6 to 12 78532. CALLISTEMON CITRINUS (Curtis) oblong leathery leaflets G to 9 inches long Skeels (O. lanceolatus DC). Myrtaceae. and orange-red fragrant flowers in compact Lemon foottlebrush.