348 PLANTS IN USE BY THE NATIVES OP NEW GUINEA, 



3. Diascorea iSjyec {Ayan), many varieties, is eaten from August 

 to January. 



4. I^wmaea Batatas {Degargol). The sweet potato is, next to 

 to the Taro and Yams, the most important article of food, 

 and is ripe usually in September and October. 



5. Musa jjaradisiaca (^Moga), 8 or 9 var., are cultivated in some 

 villages on a large scale, in others in limited quantities. Besides 

 the cultivated varieties, which have been obtained by exchange 

 between the villages, there is to be found in the foxiest a wild 

 Banana (Mtisa Maclayi. F. v. M.), compared to the cultivated 

 varieties, with a tall stem (nearly twice as tall), with narrow 

 stiff leaves and small (not edible) fruits full of seeds. (1) 



6. Saccharum officinarum (Den). Besides the many cultivated 

 varieties there is also a wild Sugarcane, with a thin darkish stems 

 growing in marshy localities. 



7. Saccharum {edule ffsskl ?) (Aus.) (2) The panicle of this 

 cane, which ripens in January and February, is eaten, stewed, 

 or baked on coals, and is very much liked. 



8. Psophocarjyus spec. (Mogar). (3) 



9. Artocarpus iiicisa and A. integrifolia known under the general 

 name : Boli. There are 5 var. at least. The bread-fruit trees are 



(1) There is also another kind of wiW Banana (il/wsa Ca^ospevma F. v. M.), 

 with fruits containing very large irregularly shaped seeds (about 10 mm. 

 long and 11 mm. in diameter), which, when ripe, are of a brilliant black 

 colour, are greatly used by natives as ornaments. About the tM'o new 

 species (M. Madayi and M. Calo^perma), vide Appendix, p. 355 and 356. 



(2) Having neglected to obtain in New Guinea a specimen of "Aus,"I 

 could not ascertain the specific name of this graminese, but remembering 

 that one of my servants, a Javanese, assured me many times that he knew 

 the same plant in Java, used to call it something like " Grubuk," I wrote 

 to the Director of the Botanical Garden of Buitenzorg and received a few 

 days ago the following answer : . . . . Une plante appel^e " gruhnk'" or 

 " (jrouhoiik," n'est pas connue chez les malais et les soundanais. Cependant 

 une Graminee savoir : le Sacharu7n edule Hasskrl. est appee " froubouk," ou 

 "tehou troubonk" par les Malais, j'ose supposer que le nom de " troubouk" 

 est le vrai nom de les plante en litigo. (Extract from the answer from Dr. 

 W. Burck, Direct, adj. of the Bot. (iard- of Buitenzorg.) 



(3) Vide Appendix, p. 358. 



