X, C. 6 
Teodoro: Philippine Bananas 
395 
One of the original forms of this may be the wild M. sapientum 
mentioned by Roxburgh 23 as grown from seed received from 
Chittagong. 
PHILIPPINE VARIETIES OF MUSA SAPIENTUM 
Synopsis of Philippine varieties of Musa sapientum. 2 ' 
a 1 . Fruit usually subcylindric or oblong, the angles becoming reduced at ma- 
turity; never with seeds; flesh mealy or creamy, nonfilamentous, and 
usually without an evident core; plant medium to small. Section I. 
b 1 . Pistil distinctly exceeding the stamens, the latter distinctly shorter 
than perigonium; scale with a distinct angular terminal shoulder; 
fruits, 3.5 to 4.5 by 10 to 12 cm; pulp white. 
c 1 . Stamens far exceeding scale; surface of scale with strong longitu- 
dinal depressions and terminal transverse rugae, the apicula very 
large; fruit long-pedicelled cinerea (Blanco). Letondal. 
c 2 . Stamens usually but little exceeding scale; surface of scale smooth, 
without strong depressions or transverse rugae, the apicula small; 
fruit about 4 by 10 cm, sessile, with persistent style. 
cubensis var. nov. Manzana. 
b 2 . Pistil the same length as the stamens or nearly so. 
c 1 . Fruit usually broadly sessile, reddish to purplish, 5 to 6 by 10 to 
14 cm, the flower scar very large, with very thick skin, pulp 
cream-colored; scale with long apicula, angled shoulders, termi- 
nal rugae, broad scarious margin, and a series of depressions on 
surface; leaves with purplish midribs. 
violacea (Blanco). Morado. 
c 2 . Fruit long or short-pedicelled, the flower scar very small ; scale 
not as above. 
d'. Stamens and pistil distinctly longer than perigonium; fruit red- 
dish, with flower parts persistent. 
americana var. nov. Cuban red, morado de Cuba, 
dr. Stamens and pistil about as long as perigonium, fruit with decid- 
uous flower parts. 
e'. Fruit short-pedicelled, tip well filled, not narrowed. 
f 1 . Scale without terminal rugae; fruit larger than in the morado 
and only slightly purplish; skin very thick; pulp cream- 
colored glaberrima (Blanco). Durogo, dinuguan. 
f. Scale with strong terminal rugae; fruit 3 to 4 by 14 to 16 
cm, green, pulp cream-colored. 
suaveolens (Blanco). Bongolan. 
e 2 . Fruit long-pedicelled, tip distinctly narrowed, 5 to 7 by 18 to 
20 cm, yellow; scale purple with large apicula, but no shoul- 
ders, broadly scarious-margined. 
23 Corom. Pt. t. 275. 
24 The flowers used are the basal nonfruiting flowers of the terminal 
(“heart”) portion of the spike. The fertile flowers are different and should 
be studied separately. The former are used because they are much more 
readily obtainable. This synopsis is merely provisional and should be 
used only as a general guide to the position of varieties. Varieties should be 
finally determined by detailed comparison with full descriptions. 
