DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIES 259 



Family MUSACEAE 



Genus MUSA 

 MUSA spp. Wild banana. 



A number of wild bananas are eaten in the Philippines. The 

 fruits are, however, full of seeds and much inferior to the cul- 

 tivated varieties. The flowering bud of some varieties is also 

 used as a vegetable. 



Family ZINGIBERACEAE 



Genus ALPINIA 

 ALPINIA PYRAMIDATA Bl. LangkAUAS. 



Local names: Langkauds (Rizal, Camarines) ; langkims (Bisaya, Ma- 

 nobo, Banuaon, Mangguangan) ; pal-la (Mandaya, Lanao). 



The root is used as a condiment. Its flavor is similar to 

 ginger, but much less pungent. It is also cooked with the sap 

 of sugar cane or with honey and water to produce an intoxicat- 

 ing beverage. 



Alpinia pyramidata is a coarse herb. The leaves are about 

 45 centimeters long, 8 centimeters wide, pointed at both ends, 

 the upper surface smooth, and the lower hairy. The flowers are 

 white, about 3 centimeters long, and borne on rather large, com- 

 pound inflorescences. 



This species is distributed from central Luzon to southern 

 Mindanao, and is occasionally cultivated on a very small scale. 



Genus CURCUMA 

 CURCUMA LONGA L. DiLAU. 



A description of this species and its local names are given in 

 the section on resins, gums, and oils. 



The roots are commonly sold in the Manila markets, and are 

 used as a condiment and for coloring food and other materials. 

 The root of Curcuma longa is a stimulative aromatic, bearing 

 some resemblance to ginger in its operation. In India it is 

 much employed as an ingredient of curry powder. 



According to Heyne,"^ in Java a flour is made from this plant 

 in the same way as from cassava and arrowroot. It is used for 

 all kinds of dainties. 



Genus VANOVERBERGHIA 

 VANOVERBERGHIA SEPULCHREI Merr. 



The fruit is sub-ellipsoid, 2 to 2.5 centimeters long, and edible. 

 It contains numerous seeds, which are about 3 millimeters long. 



* He3me, K., De Nuttige Planten van Nederlandsch-Indie, Volume 1, 

 page 209. 



