Agaveae (also certain other fibre plants) or to their products. 



Bulletin, 

 page 



22 



17,22 



18,19 



21 



23 



17-22 



17-22 



17-22 



REMARKS 



No doubt from 'Pina,' meaning 'wild pineapple.' 



'Pina' is the 'Pine apple;' Pinuella = Karatas Plumieri, Morr. 

 probably. See Pita (3). 



18, 19 | Boerhaave (Hort. Ac. Lugd. Bat.) quotes Hermann's Par. Bat. Prcdr. 

 for Pit, Pita, as = an 'Aloe' (Agave). In the supplement to the 

 Par. Bat. the spellling is ' Pitha ' cf . Piet. 



Ditto ditto ditto. 



Martins thinks Pita is the Carib equivalent of the Haitian Henequen, 

 but leaves it in doubt to what species it was applicable. The Cabuja 

 of the Spaniards was, he considers, a Furcraea and the Island 

 Maguey was a comparatively small Agave (the * Palms 3 of Peter 

 Martyr) used as a famine food (Oviedo). In another place he says 

 'Pita' means 'pipe' (referring to the uses of tobacco in the W. 

 Indies). Whatever its origin the name has spread very widely, 

 and is incorporated with the languages of Southern India. 



See also Piteira. 



A general term on the Caribean coasts and Islands for the longer 

 staples obtained from Agaveae and Bromeliaceae. In S. 

 America it is replaced by Caraguata and Ibera with their varia- 

 tions. Pita is often used with a specific addition, e.g., Pita de 

 corojo (a Palm fibre), Pita pinuella (see the next), etc. In India 

 it is restricted to Euagave. 



In Panama and on the adjoining coast Pita is or was equivalent to 

 Istle (1), or Pinuella, which is usually, we think, Karatas Plu- 

 mieri, Morren. Cf. JSromelia Pita, Istle (1) and (2), Pita 

 Bromelia, Pinuella, Silk Grass, &c. 



Agave sisalana, Perrine i.e. (G). 



This fibre was jhighly reported on as a fine fibre by London firms 

 many years ago. It is said to be produced from Karatas Plumieri, 

 Morren (= Nidularium Karatas, Lem.) which we identify with a 

 plant that thrives in the Sibpur garden. See Zttle (1), Bromvlia 

 pita, and Silk Grass 



Meaning "Shoemakers thread." The leaves of this plant (says 

 Seemann) furnish a strong fibre. He adds that the thread is exten- 

 sively used by shoemakers. This is said of other 'Pita' fibres also 

 by various authorities. JBromelia \Karatas } Linn. i 

 Plumieri, Morren. 



