34 BULLETIN 55, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 
1167. It is rather resistant to ac^erse conditions, and responds with 
large fruit to good culture. 
Plants. — Clumps, large ; suckers, numerous ; trunks, 8 to 10 feet tall, large 
at base, tapering, reclining, apple green to lighter in color; outer sheath 
extremities marked with patches of brown ; leaves, 10 to 12 to the crown, 8 feet 
long; blade, 20 inches wide, dark green above, light green below, slightly 
glaucous, margins marked with brownish lines ; inflorescence shoots with unusu- 
ally long, graceful curve of scape bearing beautiful clusters of pink flowers 
exposed from beneath rich bright red bracts. 
Flotvers. — Pistillate flower, large; ovary, long, pediceled, very angular; 
perianth, large, longitudinally ridged, washed with pink ; petal, large, bladdery, 
rose colored ; apicula, turned inward ; stamens, 5, rudimentary ; style, stout ; 
stigma, large, globular. 
Staminate flowers continue to appear from a long, somewhat spindle- 
shaped heart, one cluster at a time showing from under a bright red bract, 
curling well back and often remaining so until the flowers fall from beneath 
it. Individual flower, about 7 centimeters long, rudimentary; ovary, 2.3 
centimeters, pinkish wash over light cream color ; perianth, pink with light 
margins, two light, longitudinal stripes, inner surface red, terminal 5-lobed, 
reflexed, all tipped with bright yellow, 3 large, 2 intermediate, small and 
angular; petal, 3 centimeters long, bladdery, usually slightly dimpled below 
apicula, rose pink to purple; apicula, whitish and with one or two folds; 
stamens, 5, long as perianth ; anthers, curving outward, some pale yellow 
pollen present ; pistil, slim, widening into small 5-lobed flesh colored stigma. 
Fruit. — Bunches, large, 5 to 9 hands, 9 to 14 large, angular fruit on each ; 
average banana, 7 to 9 inches long, 1% to 2y 2 inches in diameter, conspicu- 
ously 3 to 5 angled, apex, prominently beaked and often retaining the dried 
style of the flower, basal portion frequently extending into stout pedicel often 
2 inches long. Color, light yellow at full maturity ; skin, thick ; flesh, pinkish, 
buttery, mild flavor ; core, conspicuous ; seedless. May be eaten raw, but 
is more commonly used as a cooking banana. 
COLORADO BLANCO 
The Colorado Blanco (No. 4496) was introduced into Hawaii 
from the Porto Rico Experiment Station on February 5, 1904, and 
given accession No. 20. Some of the plants have been distributed 
among growers, but the variety has not as yet become widely known 
in the Territory. 
Plants. — From 20 to 25 feet tall ; trunks, 10 to 15 feet long, slightly reclin- 
ing, 16 inches in diameter at the base, tapering upward, greenish with streaks 
of red and brown and patches of darker brown ; leaves, about 10 feet long ; 
petioles, about 2 feet, stout, greenish, and like the midrib of the underside 
of the leaf, covered with a wash of pale red ; blade, 8 feet long, greatest width 
2 feet, base cordate with sides attached almost evenly to the petiole. The 
plant is much like that of the Red variety in nature of growth and character 
and quality of fruit. 
Flotvers. — Staminate flower, 7 to 8.5 centimeters long, light color, greenish 
cast on ovary ; perianth, cream-white to drab with age, long, straight ; apex 
lobes tipped with yellow, petal, 3.3 centimeters long, translucent, usually several 
depressions ; ap!cula, erect and with several folds at base ; stamens, 5, whitish ; 
anthers extending slightly beyond the lobes of the perianth ; upper part of 
style and stigma, pale yellow. 
Fruit. — Bunches vary from 45 to 60 pounds in weight, depending upon 
the culture given, rachis extending to considerable length ; individual fruits. 
5 to 7 inches long, plump with short pedicel and angular apex, curved, then 
nearly straight, yellow, and angles disappearing at maturity ; flesh, cream 
colored, firm, and of a distinct flavor ; core, rather conspicuous. A good 
eating and shipping variety. 
ABYSSINIAN 
The Abyssinian variety (Musa enseta) was introduced into Hawaii 
through semitropical fruit plant and seed companies of California 
and Florida, where the plant is grown as an ornamental. It attains 
