BANANA CULTURE IN HAWAII 35 
a height of 25 to 30 feet, has a huge trunk, large leaves, and a very 
attractive flower cluster. The species is valued for its yield of 
good til km- in Abyssinia, its native land, and the flower shoot is re- 
moved from the trunk before emerging and cooked for food. The 
fruit pulp is rilled with seeds and is not edible. 
Abaea (Mum textUis) is said to have been brought to Hawaii 
from Manila. P. L, in 18GG, but the species' seems to have been well 
distributed over the Hawaiian group before 1888 (H, p. 434). Al- 
though the plant is valued for its yield of fiber (Manila hemp), it 
has never been grown to any extent for that purpose in Hawaii. 
Recently some fiber of excellent quality was prepared from abaca 
grown in Kona, Hawaii, and occasionally plants of the species are 
found in various parts of the islands. The abaca is closely related 
to the banana and is of value as a source of fertile pollen suitable 
for use in crossbreeding. There are supposed to be a number of 
varieties of the species, but their botanical characters are not as 
yet well defined. There are at least two kinds in Hawaii indicating 
varietal differences. The first plants, grown at the station soon 
after its establishment, were listed as accession Xo. 76 on December 
21, 1903, under the name of abaca or Manila hemp. The propagat- 
ing material was obtained from a local grower and was undoubtedly 
stock from the early introductions. In 1912 propagating material 
of u Maguindanao," Manila hemp (Musa textilis), the same as the 
abaca, was received at the station from the United States Depart- 
ment of Agriculture under accession Xo. 30683 (Xo. 2993). Speci- 
mens growing at the station (1925) and described herewith are 
supposedly from stock of the earlier introductions. 
Plants. — Clumps, large; with 12 or more trunks, cylindrical and of a beautiful 
light green color, reaching 25 feet high; leaves narrow, oblong, dark green 
above, bluish green below ; petioles and midribs glaucous. Young growth 
develops as splendid sword suckers often having a tinge of purple. 
Flowers. — Inflorescence a drooping compact panicle consisting of 6 to 12 
clusters; the brads covering the perfect or pistillate flowers are long, narrow, 
and persistent, those protecting the sterile or staminate flowers are short, red, 
with glaucous outside, and deciduous, dropping with the flower; the rachis is 
large and extends to considerable length; the terminal bud is large and plump. 
Pistillate flower, perfect, consisting of short, thick, spindle-shaped ovary, long 
style, and pollen-bearing stamens; perianth, 5 to G centimeters long, shaded on 
dorsal portion with pink, split to the base on one side, terminating in 5 lobes, 
yellow at tips, the two outer sharp, middle blunt, and two intermediate small 
and sharp; corolla consisting of one free petal, translucent and bladdery. 
Staminate flower, most parts similar to those of pistillate flower, except 
pistil which is small and Imperfecl : .1..") centimeters long; ovary 1.5 centimeters 
long, stamens. 4 to 4.5 centimeters long, white: anthers. 2.1 centimeters long, 
pink to brownish. Abundance of pollen which is white in both types of flowers. 
Some nectar around base of style. 
Fruit. — Bunches compact, 8 to 12 hands, and about 14 fruits to hand: indi- 
vidual fruits somewhat spindle-shaped, 1 to 5 angled, 2 to :: inches ion-, greater 
diameter l 1 ', to l inches; pedicel, short ; style, persistent; fruits diverge from 
each other and stand more or less :it right angles to the rachis. usually Idled 
with seeds; fruit Inedible (PL 12. A ). 
common FLANTAIH 
The common plantain (No. 5118), sometimes known as "Green 
Stem."" "Monkey Plantain.'" and u Horse Plantain." was introduced 
