BA» \NA CUI/TUHE IN HAWAII 39 
Plants. — Average height at maturity, about it; feel ; upright with dark green 
foliage. The variety is generally identified by its large bunches of smooth, 
plump fruit varying in size according to the culture given; trunk, 8 to 10 
feet tall, somewhat' tapering, green with patches of brown on outer sheaths; 
leaves, 8 to 10 feet long; petioles, 1% to 2 feet stout, green, margins curved 
inward and slightly tinged with pink: blade, oblong, oval, with greatest width 
about 24 inches; surfaces, rich dark green; petioles and midribs of younger 
plants, usually washed with cast of pink. 
Flowers. — Staminate flowers extend from rachis of bunch of fruit nearing 
maturity. (5 centimeters long; ovary, clubbed, light green with cast of pink in 
spots; perianth, light colored with streaks of pink diminishing toward the 
tips, two longitudinal pink stripes inside, five rather long orange tips. 3 promi- 
nent, 2 intermediate, narrow: petal, flaring upward from base, iridescent to 
rose-colored above, margin rolled inward: apicula, small ami turned inward: 
stamens, considerably longer than perianth; anther margins light brown. 
darkening with age; pistil, slim, about as long as perianth: style white; stigma 
small, clubbed, yellow. 
Fruit. — Bunches, large, weighing 60 to 125 pounds, flaring at base. 7 to 10 
hands. 9 to 17 lingers; individual fruits. 8 to 14 ounces, 6 to 8 inches long, 
straight, plump, angles almost disappearing, base stalked, apex blunt, color, 
rich, waxy yellow; skin, medium thickness and toughness: flesh, light yellow, 
fine texture: core, indistinct. A cooking banana of excellent quality (pi. 13, B). 
The chief distinsruishino; character of the Eleele variety (Xo. 4812) 
is the color of its trunk sheaths, petioles, and midribs, which are al- 
most black, giving rise to its Hawaiian name "Eleele." The Eleele 
is a favorite commercial and highly prized cooking banana. The 
black petioles and midribs furnish material used in weaving hats and 
other articles. The dark portions of the plant vary in intensity of 
coloration somewhat, which probably accounts for its other names, 
such as " Poni " and " Hinupuaa," which are not truly varietal names, 
but synonyms of 4 * Eleele/' In the Poni the trunk is more purplish 
than in the Eleele and the Hinupuaa is not so dark. The clumps 
continue to produce large bunches for many years without 
transplanting. 
Plants. — Usually 20 to 2.~, feet tall ; trunks. 12 feet to arch of fruit stein. 
diameter of base, 8 to in inches, slightly tapering upward: outer leaf sheaths, 
somewhat blackened: leaves, 7 to 9 feet long, 2 to 2 1 - feet wide, oval-oblong: 
peti le. srout. about 2 feet long; base of blade, cordate, one side attached lower 
"ii petiole by several inches, dark green above and below. 
Flowers. — Staminate flowers extend from rachis of half-developed fruit 
cluster; ovary, greenish, slightly washed with red near small basal end: 
perianth, light colored, with considerable reddish wash at margins where it 
overlaps the petal: 5 yellowish tips. :\ prominent, 2 secondary, slender: petal, 
flaring from base upward, white to iridescent toward top; margins, turned 
inward, -mall quantity of nectar within: apicula with fold at base and a deep 
groove below extending downward: stamens, a little longer than pistil: anther 
margins, drab, containing some pollen; pistil, about as long as perianth; style. 
white; stigma, lobed, light yellow. 
Fruit. — The young fruit has the appearance of being badly smoked, and 
remains rather dark for several weeks following the Bower, then gradually 
changes to dark green, and finally to clear bright yellow at full maturity. 
The bunches average ''»" to v <> pounds in weight, 7 to w hands, the fingers varying 
from .". to 5 angled, 7 inches long, l 1 - Inches in diameter, plump, and well-tilled 
t<» tie- ends; pedicel, l to i>_, inches long; apex with small pit. out of which 
the dried remains of the style often persists; -kin. thick and tougb as with 
other Maoli bananas. Clear yellow at full maturity: pulp, firm, orange colored; 
■ore, distinct, with numerous undeveloped ovaries. A good cooking banana. 
