376 Philippine Journal of Science 1920 
ARACEZE 
Acorus calamus L.; sweet flag, acoro, lubigan. Certainly introduced 
here; medicinal. 
Colocasia esculentum Schott; taro, gabi. Probably a native of India, 
now cultivated in all tropical countries; cultivated for food throughout 
the Islands. 
BROMELIACEZ 
Ananas comosus Merr.; pineapple, pifia. A native of tropical America, 
introduced here by the Spaniards; cultivated for food and fiber. 
Asparagus officinalis L.; asparagus, esparrago. A native of Europe, 
cultivated for ornamental purposes. 
Allium cepa L.; onion, cebolla, sebuyas. A native of Europe; cultivated 
in Manila by Chinese market gardeners. 
AMARYLLIDACE4 
Agave cantala Roxb.; sisal hemp, century plant, maguey. A native 
of tropical America; cultivated in the Philippines as an ornamental and 
for its fiber. 
Polianthes tuberosa L.; tuberose, azucena. A Mexican genus and species; 
cultivated for the fragrant flowers. 
Crinum zeylanicum L.; lily, lirio. A native of tropical Asia and Africa; 
an ornamental. 
DIOSCOREACEZ 
Dioscorea alata L.; yam, ubi. Found from India to Malaya; throughout 
the Islands, but certainly not indigenous; cultivated for its edible tubers. 
MUSACEZ 
Musa paradisica L.; banana, platano, saguing. Cultivated throughout 
the Philippines, but its introduction probably prehistoric. The bananas 
yield fruit throughout the year, which can be found in most parts of 
the Islands. The leaves are used to a considerable extent for wrapping 
food, especially cooked rice, when it is necessary to carry a lunch. There 
are many varieties of bananas, distinguished chiefly by the size, shape, 
color, and flavor of their fruits. Blanco said that there were fifty-seven 
varieties known in the Philippines. Some of the commonest varieties of 
bananas sold in Manila are the tundan, the gloria, the sabi, the lacatan, 
the morado, and the carifiosa.* Musa textilis Née, the source of the valu- 
able fiber known as abacd, or Manila hemp, is an endemic species. 
CANNACEA 
Canna indica L.; canna, ticas ticas. A native of tropical America; 
many varieties are grown in the Philippines as ornamental plants. 
* Teodoro, N. G., Philip. Journ. Sci. § C 10 (1915) 379-418, describes 
the commoner species and varieties of bananas growing in the Philippines. 
Fawcett, The Banana, its Cultivation Distribution and Commercial Uses. 
London, Duckworth and Co. (1913), enumerates 66 species of Musa, but 
there are many more kinds if varieties and cultural forms be considered. 
