X, C, 6 
Teodoro: Philippine Bananas 
415 
on the surface, tip acuminate, not so deeply shouldered, with 
narrowly scarious margin, half as long as perigonium; stamens 
shorter than perigonium or pistil ; the stigma is oblong. 
Fruits oblong or cylindrical, slightly angled by depression, long 
pedicelled, 16 to 18 cm long and 5 to 6 cm in diameter; often 
from 10 to 12 in a hand ; skin thick, slightly shaded with purple 
when unripe, and brown with numerous cracks at maturity (in 
our specimens). The pulp is cream white, coarse, with harder 
core. The average weight of a mature fruit is 147.93 grams. 
Blanco’s description of this variety is translated as follows : 12 
The fruit is of the same size as that of the ternate, with angles, somewhat 
red, and in taste it resembles this a little; but when cooked has a taste 
similar to the tondoc. It is not a common variety. The ignorance of the 
natives of the neighborhood of Manila prevents them from giving it a name. 
They only say that it is the “platano de la Costa.” 
MUSA NIGRA Perrottet, Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris III (1825) 131. 
This species was described from the Philippine Islands, but 
has apparently never been recognized since. It is probably but 
a form or variety of Musa sapientum. 
MUSA CHAPARA Perrottet, Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris III (1825) 131. 
This species also was described from the Philippines, but has 
not since been recognized. Like the preceding, it is probably 
only a form or variety of Musa sapientum. 
Mr. E. D. Merrill, botanist, Bureau of Science, Manila, says 
that the six or more species and very many varieties admitted 
as Philippine by Naves 43 must be excluded, or enumerated as 
doubtful. 
USES OF PHILIPPINE BANANAS 
1. Best for eating uncooked : Lacatan, veinte cohol, tudlong dato, 
bungulan, inarnibal. 
2. Medium quality for eating uncooked: Ternate (gloria), leton- 
dal (tordan). 
3. Suitable for cooking: Tondoc, saba, sabang Iloco, hanatuco 
morado. 
4. Flowers cooked as a vegetable : Saba. 
5. Suitable for making dried banana figs : Pitogo, ternate, sweet 
varieties of saba. 
6. Suitable for making into banana flour : Tonduc, batavia, saba 
(varieties with hard white pulp). 
42 Fl. Filip, ed. 2 (1845) 171. 
43 FI. Filip, ed. 3 IV (1880-83). 
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