56 



A plant like the Purple-flowered Cowitch, but the pod is marked by 

 transverse ribs, and is partially covered with stinging hairs. 



Seeds, known asj Horse-eye Beans, are used for ornamental pur- 

 poses. 



MUSA PARADISIAC A, Linn. 

 Plantain. 



Tropics. The stem is green, the bracts purple inside ; fruit requires 

 cooking. 



Stem formed of the leaf-stalks contains a fibre which might prove 

 valuable as paper-stock. See Bulletin, xvn., 12, 13. 



Fruit an excellent vegetable, also yields plantain meal. 



MUSA PARADASIACA, Linn., var. SAPIENTUM. 



Banana. 



Tropics. The stem is purple-spotted, and the bracts green inside. 



& 



Stem yields fibre as in plantain. 



Fruit eaten uncooked, dried, made up into puddings, &c. ; also 

 yields a meal. 



MUSA TEXTILIS, Luis Nee. 



Manila Hemp, Quilot Manila. 



| 'Native of Philippine Islands. This plant, the Abaca of the Phillip- 

 pines, is very much like the Banana and Plantain, but the fruit is not 

 edible. It is in cultivation in Castleton Botanic Gardens. 



" The Abaca is cut when about one year and a half old, just before 

 its flowering or fructification is likely to appear, as afterwards the 

 fibres are said to be weaker. If cut earlier, the fibres arc said to be 

 shorter and finer. It is cut near its roots, and the leaves cut off just 

 below their expansion. It is then slit open longitudinally, and the 

 central peduncle separated from the sheathing layers of fibres, which 

 are in fact the petioles of the leaves. Of these layers the outer are 

 harder and stronger, and form the kind of fibre called bandala which 

 is employed in the fabrication of cordage. The inner layers consist of 

 finer fibres and yield what is called Ivpis and used for weaving the 

 nipis and other more delicate fibres ; while the intermediate layers are 

 converted into what is called tupoz, of which are made web-cloths and 

 gauzes, four yards long, of different degrees of fineness. These are 

 universally used as clothing ; some being so fine that a garment may 

 be enclosed in the hollow of the hand." (Royle.) 



MUSK OKRA. See Hibiscus Abelmoschus. 



MUSK WOOD. See Guarea Swartzii. 



MUSTARD, BASTARD. See Cleome pentaphylla. 



