276 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1951

An early ripening avocado has come to the seedling in the Essig grove so in a few years attention of your committee, in the grove of more will be known of its behavior. S. C. Essig, formerly owned by Mrs. M. R. Your committee is particularly interested in Pond near Princeton. It is asearly as the locating seedlings which will extend the pro Pollock with about half the size. Mrs. Pond ducing season of avocados and will extend the obtained scions of this seedling some years region in Florida which can produce avocados. ago from Bronson Bayliss' grove. Several The discovery of an avocado which will stand trees have been top worked recently to this wet feet would bea real accomplishment.

DESCRIBING FLORIDA VARIETIES OF LYGHEE

G. Weidman Groff and by the designation of type material for Lingman Exchange preservation and future consultation. There Laurel is no more reason for irresponsible new nam ing of old varieties in horticulture than there and is in any other branch of systematic science. Su-Ying Liu At the time of naming a new variety the one Barb our Scholar and Research Assistant describing it should give a record of its origin, Botanical Gardens, University of Michigan should indicate the precise individual living Ann Arbor, Michigan plant to serve as a type, and should grant the prvilege of preparing record specimens from The primary object of this paper is to pre it for pomological and botanical collections. pare the way for a better understanding of Not every seedling will be worthy of clonal varieties by reporting on techniques for propagation because of its merits in horticul field studies, descriptions and establishing of tural or its botanical distinctiveness, and there names. After outlining procedures and tech is no reason for multiplying names unneces niques we exemplify their standardized de sarily. scriptions, in keys based upon fruit, and in 2. A thorough review of the sources of ori charts of characteristics. We desire to pre gin and history and the acquisition and dis serve the iong-established Chinese names of semination of all lychee introductions that old-world varieties which have come to Ameri have been maintained. The series of Seed and ca from China; and we suggest that new Plant Inventories of the U. S. Department of personal, regional, or appropriately descrip Agriculture (10) is the most fruitful source tive names be applied only to forms isolated of information covering lychee introductions, as seedling selections or originated by cross for there have apparently been few successful ing of the well known old Chinese or other private ones into the United States. Oriental varieties in other countries. Five 3. Acquaintance with keen observations of basic lines of procedure are recommended for Chinese plantsmen through the centuries as long-range program of systematic pomology recorded by their literary men and artists. in relation to the lychee: Some Of this interesting information appears 1. Close observation and description of the within the pages of 'The Lychee and Lungan' lychee trees and fruits already present in our by the senior author (3). More remains to be gardens, to be followed in due time by the translated from the Chinese. introduction of hitherto unrepresented varie 4. A comprehensive review of the detailed ties. A prerequisite for intelligent work in work of plant taxonomists in descriptions of introduction and improvement will be good members of the plant family , keys and clear descriptions. The final approval especially the Nephelieae, the Lychee-Lungan- of accepted names might well beentrusted to -Pulasan tribe. The German bot an authorized lychee Variety committee. Such anist Ludwig Radlkofer (1829-1927) made a a committee should follow the recommenda life-long study of these and at the close tions of the International Botanical .Congress, of his life published a monograph (9) which to the end that every name would be validated will be authoritative for many years. We by a proper description, by illustrations, if have drawn heavily upon him for detailed needed for clarity, as would generally be true, knowledge of geographical range and morpho- GROOF AND SU-YING-LIU: FLORIDA 277 logical characters of the lychee and its comprising this weight. We then measure and relatives. weigh each fruit and record largest, smallest 5. A review also of the recent findings and and mean, as shown in the analytical table theories of the historical, geographical and for the Sweet Cliff and Late Globe varieties. genetic-minded botanists who emphasize cen (See Table I.) Sweet Cliff is a Canton, China, ters of origin, range of distribution, ecological variety, first introduced through Groff in 1920, habitat factors, and features indicating hy- S. P. I. No. 51471, which is now fruiting at bridity equally with more obvious morpholog Lychee Orchards, Laurel, and the Federal ical factors. The views of the late Russian Horticultural Station at Orlando. Late Globe botanist N. I. Vavilov (11) and the phyto- is, apparently, a natural hybrid seedling which geographer E. V. Wulff (12) have been pre Colonel Globe has had under observation for sented in the recently published English trans several years. We also determine the break lations, which contain many helpful sugges down of total weight into partial weights of tions for world surveys in economic botany, skin, flesh (arils), "rag" (aril fiber), seeds as also for plant introduction, acclimatization, and juice. These data should be assembled selection and breeding. through several years, and for a number of Miss Su-Ling Liu of Fukien province, China, trees, in order to get a comprehensive picture the junior author of this paper, during the for final publication of a standard description past two years has spent about six months in of each variety. This should be accompanied Florida studying lychee varieties during the by photographs and drawings. season of flowers and fruit. Miss Liu is now Our present analytical studies cover the writing the descriptions, and is preparing following varieties: (1) Brewster's Chen Fam keys and charts to the varieties of which living ily Purple of Henghwa, Fukien; (2) Kwei Mei, and herbarium materials have been available (3) Sweet Cliff, (4) Black Leaf, and (5) to her. It is obviously impossible in this pre Mountain lychee of Canton; and also two of liminary paper to record all of her interesting Colonel Wm. R. Grove's Florida seedling se findings, which will be available later. lections which we believe to be natural hybrids of Brewster x Mountain, (6) Yellow Red and The Use of Obvious Fruit Characters in Ly (7) Late Globe. chee Description Our data on growth form of trees and the The general procedure in systematic pomol nature of bark and leaves are not yet tabu ogy is to base descriptions largely upon charac lated but awaits further observations. ters of the fruit which attract the eye and appeal to the taste. While this may enable Possible Use of Neglected Genetic Differences one to recognize the variety of a fruit in hand in Lychee Improvement it is of minor helpfulness to an understanding This subject can not be developed within of heritable characters and physiological re the scope of this paper. It deserves an inde actions to culture and climate. In our de pendent one. After reviewing the of scriptions of Florida lychees we are following, the 14 tribes, 165 genera and over 2000 species in part, procedures established 30 odd years of Sapindaceae as summarized by Radlkofer ago as revealed in the senior author's analyti (9), as also the general discussions of Wulff cal table of Canton varieties (3). The Chinese (12) covering areas and Vavilov (11) discus have a wide range of very descriptive terms sing origins and morphological characters used in lychee fruit description covering, size, basic in the development of species and genera, color, surface as marked by lines and tuber we are left with a deep impression that there cles attachment of aril to hilum end of seed, are a number of less evident heritable charac nature of aril, juice, fiber "rag," and size, ters of lychee varieties that may be of far shape and degree of maturity of seeds (such greater importance than any we have pre terms as "chicken-tongued"). sented in the above discussion. In our studies of Florida varieties we are The Nature and Storage Possibilities of Lychee now securing much more accurate data cover Arils ing especially weight and measurement of Of greatest significance in lychee improve fruits. Always using 500 grams (V2 kilogram) ment is the aril of the fruit. Chandler (2, pp. of fruits without stems as a standard quantity 822 and 323) discusses the pearly, gelatinous for analysis we first count the number of fruits arils of the lychee and the storage possibili- 278 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1951

TABLE I. TENTATIVE FRUIT DESCRIPTIONS OF ONE CHINESE VARIETY (SWEET CLIFF) AND ONE OF FLORIDA ORIGIN (LATE GLOBE) TO ILLUSTRATE PRESENT TECHNIQUES.

Late Globe Sweet Cliff Average number of ripe fruits in a prime cluster 8.2 13 Number of immature fruits in above 4 Average length of fruiting panicle 13.92 cm. 12.5 cm. Number of fruits in Yz kilogram Breakdown of % kilogram of fruit Skin 63.1 gr. 85.9 gr. Seeds 84.5 gr. 73.0 gr. Arils 336.3 gr. 317.1 gr. Error S.2% 4.8% Total 500.0 gr. 500.0 gr. Weight of individual fruits Largest 17.5 gr. 18.1 gr. Smallest 11.5 gr. 11.2 gr. Mean 14.83 gr. 14.83 gr. Measurement of individual fruits Average Lat. Dia. 2.94 cm. 3.07 cm. Average Long. Dia. 3.02 cm. 3.37 cm. Average Lat. Cir. 9.3 cm. 9.4 cm. Average Long. Cir. 9.6 cm. 10.0 cm. Shape of fruit Round to slightly heart- Somewhat oblong, heart- shaped shaped Color of fruits Light red Red with yellowish-green tinge Shoulders of fruits Nearly even, or slightly Prominent on one side higher on one side Surface of fruits Smooth and slightly rough Quite rough on bottom end Tubercles on outside surface of fruits Flattened-out, yellowish Quite large and loosely dis green in color, merging tributed except at stem into rather large pat end, merging into rather tern 8.8 tubercles per large spots. 8.5 tubercles Sq. cm. per sq. cm. Line of dehiscence on surface of fruits Very narrow Very distinct, the groove being bordered by 1-2 rows of smaller tubercles or lamellae. Inner membraneous skin White, dry White, dry Arils of fruit Very free from seeds Quite free from seeds. Quantity of juice in arils of 500 gr. fruit 245 cc. 249 cc. not flowing out freely from the arils. Rag within the arils of 500 gr. fruit 54.3 gr. 36.8 gr. Measurement of seeds Long. Dia. Lat. Dia. Long. Dia. Lat. Dia. Largest 2.5 cm. 1.8 cm. 2.6 cm. 1.6 cm. Smallest 1.8 cm. 1.2 cm. 2.2 cm. 1.2 cm. Mean 2.17 cm. 1.49 cm. 2.4 cm. 1.45 cm. ties. This organ of the fruits is a cellular ex for the acquisition of varieties which are ad pansion arising from the placenta and the justed to less winter cold. funicle (connecting organ between the ovule Lychee Introductions into the United States. and placenta). We are convinced that climatic The record concerning the introduction into and nutritional factors have much to do with the-United States of Brewster's Chen Family the development of this structure, which is Purple of Fukien, so promising in Florida for the part that is eaten. commercial production, is clear (1), (5), and Centers of Origin of Lychee Varieties (7). Of the Canton varieties reported by The chief centers of origin of lychee va Groff (1) a total of no less than 17 have been rieties are Canton in Kwangtung Province and introduced into the United States and Hawaii Henghwa in Fukien Province, China. Chen (1) between the years 1902 to 1941, but apparently and Groff (3) agree that the named varieties only Black Leaf, Kwei Wei, Sweet Cliff, and of lychee in China may number at least 100. forms of Mountain lychee have survived in They have surveyed the above mentioned areas Florida. Many other varieties, however, are and have published some of the recorded lychee living at the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment names. Forms of lychee are also reported Station, where duplicates were usually planted from Szechwan in West China and from the of material in transit from China to the con Island of Hainan, off the coast of Kwangtung. tinental United States. Negotiations are now These have not been dealt with in any western under way to reintroduce these desirable va publication. Hainan is particularly promising rieties and establish them here. Inasmuch as GROOF AND SU-YING-LIU: FLORIDA LYCHEES 279

TABLE II. COMPARISON OF THE SAME VARIETIES AT FLOWERING TIME.

Sweet Cliff Late Globe Length of flowering period Mar. 5 to Apr. 17 Mar. 26 to Apr. 29 Number panicles observed 16 3 Number of days in bloom 34 to 38 33 to 36 Average length and width of whole inflorescence 16.51 cm. x 17.78 cm. 17.78 to 19.05 cm. x 12.7 to 15.34 cm. Average length of individual branch panicles 15.24 cm. to 17.78 cm. 5.08 to 17.78 cm. very un equal lengths.

Average length of rachis (axis of inflorescence) 0.317 to 1.27 cm. 2.54 cm. Mean number of flowers per panicle 182 330 Order in which flower types appear and mean number of days for each days days Staminate (1st) 15 10 Pistillate (2nd) ' 8 9 Perfect (last) 11 14 Average percentage of unisexual and bisexual flowers per panicle Staminate 53% 13.6% Pistillate 16.4% 18.0% Perfect 30.7% 68.5% Average size of flower types (in mm.) Length Width Length Width Staminate 10.5 3.5-4 9-11 5-6 Pistillate 7.8 3-4 9-10 5 Perfect 7-8 5 8-10 6-7 a published list of lychee variety names and From Hawaii, J. E. Higgins, 1908, No. references to what is known about them are 23202; Chester J. Hunn, 1914, No. 28779; essential for future studies, we have compiled J. E. Higgins, 1915, Nos. 40850, 40916, and a list of all introduction numbers as revealed 1918, Nos. 46240, 47375; Ah Fong tree, in Plant Inventory of the U. S. Department Honolulu, G. P. Wilder, and James Mills, of Agriculture, (10) as also the introduction 1905, No. 14888. numbers of the living collection at the Ha From Florida, T. Ralph Robinson, Braden- waiian Station, as revealed in a letter from ton, 1941, No. 142167; from P. W. Camp Dr. W. B. Storey of that Station to the senior bell, Estero, 1931, No. 109768 and 1933, author dated May 20, 1949. We regret that No. 132902. space does not permit us to publish all of the From California, Santa Barba, E. W. Hand- data furnished by Dr. Storey. ley, 1919, No. 48214. The list of Chinese varieties of, lychee in From Cuba, H. A. Van Hermann, 1924, No. Table III comprises most of those that will be 59649. available for further testing during the com From Harvard Bot. Gard., 1931, No. 90886. ing years. In order to make the record of all From West Indies, Trinidad, 1904, No. S. P. I. Nos. to date complete we add here the 11342. ^ introductions without varietal names: From Honduras, Wilson Popenoe, 1927, No. From Foochow, S. L. Gracey, 1909, No. 74220. v 25274; From Philippines, S. Youngberg, growing From Amoy, Mrs. L. W. Kip by request of spontaneously, 1926, No. 67991; from John M. Mixon, 1915, No. 41004. Arthur Fisher through Dr. Swingle, 1928, From Canton, James Swan, 1905, Nos. 16237, No. 76472. 16238, 16242, 16243; Col. Clyde S. Ford, From Java, Dr. Fairchild, 1926, No. 67646. 1923, Nos. 112294, 112360, 112361; Ira From India, H. S. Nesbitt, Punjab, 1921, J. Condit through Li, 1935, No. 111915; No. 52701. The notes of some of these are G. W. Groff, seeds, 1935, No. 111949. interesting reading. From Hongkong, H. Greene, 1915, No. 41052. Indian Varieties From Hainan Island, Mrs. L. E. M. Kelly, Rose or Rose Scented, Wilson Popenoe, 1913, 1908, 5 kinds under No. 23395. No. 36066; from Frederick Verela, Cal From Swatow, G. C. Hanson, 1916, No. cutta, 1929, No. 94066. 48034. Bedana from Wilson Popenoe, 1913, No. From Shanghai, Frank Meyer, 1915, 20 lbs. 36042. seeds, Nos. 40973 and 40974. W. B. Hayes (6) reports the following In From Soochow, N. Gist Gee, 1911, No. 31699; dian varieties: Early and Late Large Red; Bell No. 2087, 1935, S.P.I. No. 95075. and Early and Late Bedana. 280 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1951

TABLE III. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LYCHEE VARIETIES ALREADY INTRODUCED INTO HAWAII AND THE UNITED STATES OF CURRENT AND POTENTIAL UTILITY IN THE BREEDING AND SELECTION OF FORMS SU [TABLE TO FLORIDA

Varietal name Received through Year Introduction No. References Brewster—See Chen Family (We also cite literature Purple references in parenthesis) "Chen Family Purple" Rev. W. N. Brewster 1903? S.P.I. Nos 10670-10673; Groff (5) 1906 S.P.I. No. 21204; Groff 1907 H. A. E. S. No. 1083 Storey letter Chong Un Hung "Royal Red" G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. Nos. 93972, 94249 Groff (3) : pp. 99, 143, and 94250; 170, and PI. XXXVIII. H. A. E. S. No. 6076 Storey letter Fi Tsz Siu "Imperial Concu bine Smile" G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 93973 Groff (3): pp. 95, 96, 1936 H.A.E.S. No. 6071 143, 170. PI. XXXV. Storey letter Hak Ip "Black Leaf" Lathrop & Fairchild 1902 S.P.I. No. 9802 J. M. Swan 1905 S.P.I. No. 16239 Groff (3): pp. 64, 73, 89, J. M. Swan 1908 S.P.I. No. 23365 95, 97, 100, 101, 143, 170. G. W. Groff 1915 S.P.I. No- 40915 PI. XXXV C. 0. Levine 1917 S.P.I. No. 45596 J. E. Higgins 1919 S.P.I. No. 47377 G. W. Groff 1.920 S.P.I. No. 51466 G. W. Groff 1941 S.P.I. No. 139863 and 139864 David Fleming 1938 H.A.E.S. No. 6037 Storey letter G. W. Groff 1941 H.A.E.S. No. 6166 Heung Lai (from Sun Hing) Mr. Ung Wah 1917 S.P.I. No. 45146 Groff (3) : pp. 93. 143, "Fragrant Lychee" 1917 H.A.E.S. No. 3390 169 ; PI. XXX Storey letter Heung Lai (from Lingman) G. W. Groff 1941 S.P.I. No. 139861 and "Fragrant Lychee" 139862 Kwa Luk G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 93974 Groff (3): pp. 50. 51, 92, "Hanging Green" G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 94251 143, 166; PI. XVI G. W. Groff 1941 S.P.I. No. 129849 and 139850 G. W. Groff 1936 H.A.E.S. No. 5969 Storey letter Kwei Wei (Kwai Mi) "Cinna J. M. Swan 1905 S.P.I. No. 16241 Groff (3) : pp. 50, 73, 89, mon Flavor" J. M. Swan 1908 S.P.I. No. 23364 92, 93, 97, 100, 143. C. O. Levine 1917 S.P.I. No. 45597 J. E. Higgins 1918 S.P.I. No. 47376 G. W. Groff 1920 S.P.I. No. 61470 G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 94252 G. W. Groff 1941 S.P.I. No. 139853 139854 139857 13985R G. W. Groff 1908 H.A.E.S. No. 1265 G. W. Groff 1917 H.A.E.S. No. 3880 Takafugi 1941 H.A.E.S. No. 6170 Storey letter Afong Tree 1941 H.A.E.S. No. 6171 No Mai T'sz, "Glutinous Rice" Lathrop & Fairchild 1902 S.P.I. No. 9803 Groff (3) : pp. 10, 50, 53, J. M. Swan 1905 S.P.I. No. 16240 66, 67, 73, 79, 89, 91, 92, J. M. Swan 1908 S.P.I. No. 23366 93, 96, 99, 100, 143, 169, F. A. McClure 1927 S.PJ. No. 74206 and Pis. XXX and G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 93581 XXXIII G. W. Groff 1941 S.P.I. No. 139851 139852 139855 139856 139858 139860 1908 H.A.E.S. No. 1267 G. W. Groff 1938 H.A.E.S. No. 6079 Storey letter Bd. Agr. & For. 1939 H.A.E.S. No. 6172 G. W. Groff 1941 H.A.E.S. No. 6160 No Mai T'un, "Glutinous Rice G. W. Groff 1918 S.PJ. No. 46570 Groff (3) : pp. 143. Ball" G. W. Groff 1920 S.P.I. No. 51468 Pat Po Heung, "Eight PreciousG. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 93975 Fragrances" g 94254 Storey letter 1938 H.A.E.S. No. 6080 Royal Chen (Trade name) See Chen Family Purple. Sam Ut Hung, "Third-Month G. W. Groff 1920 S.P.I. No. 51464 Groff (3) : pp. 79, 96, 98, Red" 99. 143. 165 ; PI. VI, pp. 170; PI. XXXVII Shan Chi, "Mountain Lychee" G. W. Groff 1918 R.P.T. No. 46568 fVoff (3) : pp. 10. 50, 64, G. W. Groff 1920 R.P.I. No. 51472 P7. 6R. 79. 98. 99, 143, G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 9397« 170; PI. XXXV 942*3 94255 94256 1941 H.A.E.S. No. 6175 Storey letter LYNCH, LARSEN AND DOUGHTY: AKEE FRUIT 281

Varietal name Received through Year Introduction No. References

Sheung Shu Wai, '^President G. W. Groff 1920 S.P.I. No. 51469 Groff (3) : pp. 96, 101, of the Board's Embrace" 143. T'im Ngam, "Sweet Cliff" G. W. Groff 1920 S.P.I. No. 51471 Groff (3): pp. 144. Coconut Grove 1943 S.P.I. No. 145647 Tai Tso 'Large Crop" G. W. Groff 1931 S.P.I. No. 94257 Groff (3): pp. 53, 94, 95, 97, 101, 144, 167; PI. XIX Wai Chi "Wai River Lychee" G. W. Groff 1915 S.P.I. No. 41054 Groff (3) : pp. 46, 51, 64, G. W. Groff 1916 S.P.I. No. 43284 73, 79, 89, 92, 96, 97, C. O. Levine 1917 S.P.I. No. 45624 98, 101, 144, 165, PI. XI, G. W. Groff 1918 S.P.I. No. 46569 pp. 166 ; PI. XII, pp. 167 ; G. W. Groff 1917 H.A.E.S. No. 3881 PI. XVII, pp. 170, PI. XXXVI.

Summary 4. — Some Ecological Factors Involved in Successful Lychee Culture. Proc. Fla. State In this paper we present techniques used Hort. Soc, 1943. in description of lychee varieties. The im 5 — Additional Notes on the History of the Brewster Lychee. Proc. Fla. State Hort. portant questions of heritable genetic charac Soc, 1948. 6. Hayes, W. B. Fruit Growing in India. Kitabistan, ters and the nature and development of the Allahabad, India. 1945 (See Chapter 18.) aril are briefly mentioned but left for detailed 7. Li, Lai-Yung and Chu-Ying, Chou. Notes on the Chen-Tze Lychee of Henghwa, Fukien, China. Proc. Fla. discussion in a future paper. We have com State Hort. Soc, 1948. 8. Marloth, Raimund H. The Litchi in South Africa. piled an alphabetical list of lychee varieties Dept. Agric, Subtropical Horticultural Research Station, in order to indicate those that should be of Nelspruit, East Transvaal, South Africa. 1947. 9. Radlkofer, L. Sapindaceae, in Engler, A>. and Diels, importance in lychee importations, marking L., Das Pflanzenreich, 98 (IV), pp. 1-1539. Liepzig, with an asterisk the ones growing at present Germany. 1931-34. 10. Bull. Bur. PI. Ind. U.S. Dept. Agric. Seeds and in Florida. Plants Imported. Inv. Nos. 15, 16, 19, 28, 31, 32, 36, 40, 43, 44, 48, 52, 53, 55, 56, 59, 60, 66, 79, 87, 88, 89, 91, LITERATURE CITED 92, 95, 100, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 120, 121, 122, 124, 125, 139, 146, 148, 150, 151, 1909-41. 1. Chen, Wen-Hsun. The Culture of the Lychee. Proc. 11. Vavilov, N. I. The Origin, Variation, Immunity Fla. State Hort. Soc, 1949. and Breeding of Cultivated Plants. Chronica Botanica 2. Chandler, Wm. H. Evergreen Orchards. Lea and 13, No. 1-6. 1951. Febiger, Philadelphia. 1950. (See Chapter 13.) 12. Wulff, E.V. An Introduction to Historical Plant 3. Groff, G. Weidraan. The Lychee and Lungan. Or Geography. The €hronica Botanica Co., Welthan, Mass. ange Judd Co., New York. 1921. 1943.

A STUDY OF THE EDIBILITY OF AKEE (BLIGHIA SAPIDA) FRUIT OF FLORIDA1

S. John Lynch,2 Edward Larson3 and tributed to the eating of this fruit. Stories of this poisoning have caused many people, es Donald D. Doughty4 pecially in South Florida, to eschew the use of Coral Gables the fruit. Some of the early writers attributed this poisoning to the use of over-ripe or de Akee fruit grows on the tree, Blighia sapids, caying fruit. However, it has since been ob which is found commonly in the dooryards of served and commented upon that this poison the West Indies and to a limited extent in ing can be just as lethal when unripe fruit South Florida. The whitish, fleshy aril, when is eaten. Most of these writers are of the pre sauteed, forms a delicious protein supplement vailing opinion that mature ripe fruit is harm to the diet and in the islands it is often boiled less and delicious. It would be of value to with fish. Although the fruit is commonly used citizens of South Florida, as well as to the in such places as Jamaica it can not be denied citizens of the Islands south of us, to have that cases of poisoning have followed the con some definite data as to when to eat the Akee sumption of this article. In Jamaica, a con and when not. It would also be of value to siderable number of deaths each year are at- our armed services who have personnel sta

1—Reviewed in the Veterans Administration and pub tioned in these areas to learn something more lished with the approval of the Chief Medical Director. about this fruit and perhaps develop a treat The statements and conclusions published by the au thors are the result of their own study and do not ment for its poisonous effects. To that end necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of the Veterans Administration. these investigations have been initiated. 2—Research Professor of Applied Tropical Botany, Uni The Akee, Blighia sapida, Kon. (Cupania versity of Miami. 3,4—Respectively, Prof, of Physiol. & Pharmacol., and sapida, Voight) is a member of the Sapinda Research Assistant, Medical Research Unit of the Uni versity of Miami at Veterans Administration Hospital. ceae family. The generic name is in honor of