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PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL VIII, April, 1954 
but search in the same locality for another 
mutant form, the Robusta of Jamaica 
(Simmonds, 1953), was unsuccessful; this 
latter variety is probably present in the 
Territory, however, since it was once in- 
troduced to the I.C.T.A. under the wrong 
label, Manaiula, a name applied to a native 
Hawaiian variety which it does not in the 
least resemble. As Pope suggests that 
Hamakua is the same as the West Indian 
variety Congo, it may be worth noting 
that Congo in the I.C.T.A. collections is 
identical with Robusta, not with Lacatan. 
Bluefields, Gros Michel. (Pisang Embon 
of Malaya, etc., etc.) This is another edible 
triploid Musa acuminata and the principal 
export banana of commerce. It is much 
favoured as a dessert banana in Hawaii, 
but its cultivation is severely restricted by 
the incidence of Panama disease to which 
the variety is highly susceptible. It is also 
very susceptible to leaf spot, and success- 
ful cultivation in the Caribbean area de- 
mands regular spraying. 
Brazilian. An AB-type triploid; material in- 
troduced to the I.C.T.A. in 1939 proved 
to be identical with a variety called Pome 
from the Canary Islands. The sometimes 
misshapen male bud with a few persistent 
bracts just above it is characteristic. The 
fruit is subacid and of poor quality; it has 
little to recommend it as a dessert banana 
(to a West Indian trained taste, at least), 
and its acceptance in Hawaii seems to be 
a good example of the power of need and 
habit in influencing the demands of a mar- 
ket. It is resistant to Panama disease and 
to leaf spot. 
Lady’s Finger. As usual, this name is applied 
indiscriminately to almost any banana with 
small fruits. The writer recorded it for two 
varieties in Hawaii, namely: the Sucrier 
(of Trinidad, Honey of Jamaica, etc.), a 
diploid acuminata with yellowish, nonwaxy 
foliage and small thin-skinned fruits; and 
another variety called Ney Poovan (from 
Madras) in the I.C.T.A. collections, an 
AB-type diploid. The former is resistant 
to Panama disease but is very susceptible 
to leaf spot; the latter is resistant to both 
diseases. Pope’s remarks under the name 
Lady Finger seem to apply to Ney 
Poovan. 
Apple. This is another unfortunate name, 
as it is commonly applied to several AB- 
type varieties having subacid fruits. In Ha- 
waii it was applied to a variety thought to 
be the Silk Fig (of Trinidad, Apple of 
Jamaica, an AB-type triploid) but some- 
times also to Brazilian, a distinct although 
not dissimilar variety (see above). In 
Trinidad, Silk Fig is susceptible to Panama 
disease but resistant to leaf spot. 
Ice Cream. Pope’s description suggested a 
variety unrepresented in the I.C.T.A. col- 
lections, and so it turned out. Plants were 
seen at Honolulu and Kona, their scarcity 
suggesting that this is not a particularly 
favoured variety. Plant small and densely 
stooling; peduncle glabrous; bud of hybrid 
type; bracts curled, red within to base; male 
flowers red; fruit angular, grey-waxy, flesh 
soft and sticky; ovules 4-rowed. An AB- 
type hybrid but perhaps nearer to M. hal- 
bisiana than is usual among dessert bana- 
nas and, therefore, of considerable interest. 
Arrangements are in train to import it to 
the I.C.T.A. for detailed study. 
Red, and its green bud-sport Green Red. 
As in the West Indies. The former is prob- 
ably chimerical, having a red skin over a 
green core; various fleckings and stripings 
are common. j 
Miscellanea. Several varieties named by Pope 
were not seen by the present writer but are j 
worthy of some comment. The Common ' 
Plantain is probably the same as the ; 
Horse or Horn Plantain of the West 
Indies; it differs from other members of j 
the plantain complex in having a quickly | 
degenerating male axis and comparatively 
few large horn-shaped fruits. Pope’s de- | 
scription of Largo suggests the popular , 
West Indian cooking variety called Blug- ,[ 
