176 TROPICAL 1-RUITS 



mealy, produced in large hunches ; Pnwaln (fingers thin and 

 rather angular, somewhat acid) ; Rand or Red Plantain (large red 

 fingers, home in huge clusters; coarse, thick-skinned, mealy; 

 chiefly grown in the North of Ceylon) ; Rata-lwndarawala (thickly 

 set combs ; angular stout fingers, sweet) ; Rath-kehel (short, 

 smooth, round fingers, rather acid but pleasant) ; Snivandel {thin- 

 skinned, tender and sweet, considered the best in Ceylon ; not 

 commonly grown for market). 



While almost all the above may be cooked in an unripe state and used 

 as a vegetable, the following are used chiefly for that purpose only, 

 although some are also eaten raw when ripe, viz., Aln-kehel or Asli 

 Plantain (slender stems ; fingers stout and angular, covered with 

 a greyish bloom) ; Martlianialn (short, stout, thick fingers, resem- 

 bling Anamalu in taste), Xawari or Wandarn-anamaln (long, thin 

 greenish-yellow fingers ; dark slender stems) ; Pnspakadali (short 

 stout fingers, thin-skinned ; suited for dessert) ; Snramondan 

 (large green angular fruit, borne in huge clusters). Gros Michel, 

 also known as the "Jamaica" or " Martinique" banana, is said to 

 be the principal variety grown in Jamaica (and apparently also in 

 Hawaii, Cuba, etc.) for export. 



Musa Cavendishii; "Dwarf" or " Chinese banana," native of 

 South China, is the one so largely cultivated in the Canary Islands 

 and exported to England, etc. It is also said to be the one now 

 chiefly grown in Barbados. 



While in the Eastern Tropics all bananas are known as plan- 

 tains, in the West Indies the name "plantain" is applied only to 

 cooking varieties. 



Nephelium lappaceum. (Sapinclacea^). " Rambutan ; "Rum- 

 turn" S. A large handsome spreading tree, native of Malaya, 

 yielding a profusion of bright red or orange-yellow fruits, the 

 latter being produced in large clusters suspended from the ends of 

 the branches, presenting a very ornamental effect. Each fruit is 

 of the size of a large gooseberry, covered with long soft coloured 

 spines, the interior being occupied by a large seed, surrounded by 

 a layer of white opaque pulp (aril), which is of an acidulous agree- 

 able taste. Birds and bats are particularly partial to it. It is 

 curious that this fruit, which is so common in the low-country of 

 Ceylon and in the Straits, appears to be scarcely known in India, 

 Mauritius, Madagascar, etc. The tree is readily propagated from 

 seed, but the best varieties should be raised by grafts or gootees. 

 Thrives up to 2,000 ft. elevation. 



Nephelium chryseum (or N. mutabile) ; Pulassan. A Malayan 

 tree, similar to therambutan in appearance, but differing in the fruit 

 and in the leaves being grey beneath. The fruit is larger than the 



