AMBOINESE HERBAL Book VI. Chapter V.

...for the taller these reeds grow into trees, the smaller are their leaves, which are generally eleven inches long, one wide, thin, smooth, and not very veined or wavy. Its root is jointed and creeps horizontally, as in the preceding species, and its Robong tender young bamboo shoots or shoot sprouts in the same manner; this is considered the best for Atsjar pickles or preserves or salted vegetables, as its substance is sweet and thick. Indeed, this reed occupies entire fields and puts forth dense stems, which are entangled and cling together by their roots. It loves the mountains, although it can also be propagated by cut joints if a hole is hollowed out in them and they are filled with mud.

Name. In Latin it is called the Rough Tree-Reed original: "Arundarbor aspera", in Malay, Balinese, and Javanese it is Bulu Potong, and by others specifically Bulu wani, since wani are properly those woven vessels made from this and other reeds, very hollowed out, which are hung from trees to collect their sap; in Amboinese it is Terin baburu or Telin babulu, that is, the "rough reed"; by others Utte wani; in Ternatese Tabatico ake, that is, "water reed"; and in Banda it is called Bulu fwangi.

Place. In Amboina its stalks are found planted only here and there, but it is more abundant in Huamohela, where it occupies entire fields, especially at the feet of mountains and in open valleys; entire clumps are often swept away by great rivers and carried to another island, where the inhabitants pull them onto land so that their roots may take hold, which I have often seen in Hitoea.

Use. Since this reed is tall, straight, and firm, it is used especially for the masts of the smaller vessels called Correcorren Kora-kora: traditional large rowing boats of the Maluku Islands; the uppermost joints, as mentioned, serve the Tiffadores Tappers: those who collect palm sap or wine primarily as vessels, and the whole stem is used for house posts and paggers fences or enclosures. Its Robong or tender shoot, when not yet three feet high, serves as a vegetable in the kitchen, from which pickles are also prepared, as was proposed in the preceding Chapter.

The sixth kind of tree-like reed, or the third species of Terin, is the Greatest Tree-Reed original: "Arundarbor maxima", which reaches the same height as a mature Calappus Coconut tree, namely eighty or even a hundred feet; its thickness here in this land equals a thigh, but in other places of old India and Asia it has the thickness of a man, or even greater. Its internodes the sections between joints are only three feet long, and the wood is barely as thick as a little finger here, though in other regions it is an inch thick, and therefore it is very hollow inside; externally it is slightly wrinkled, but by no means covered in a mealy powder as the previous one was.

Its stems grow very straight and simple without side branches up to the very top, where they bear only a few branches; the leaves mostly agree with those of the former, but are a little smaller. The flowers and fruits of these two species are hitherto unknown to me, and according to the reports of the inhabitants, they very rarely come into view; perhaps these reeds behave as Dr. Paul Hermann testifies of the Ceylonese Nuayhas, which must reach sixty years of age before it displays its knotty flowers, and which first sheds most of its leaves and soon after dies. Many confuse these two species and consider them one, calling them Bulu wani or Potong, since the former Potong growing wild in the mountains agrees best with the last species in height and thickness, and bears little of that rough powder which mostly sticks to the stems when the shrubs are frequently cut back so that they cannot reach their full height; however, the greatest difference between them consists in the thickness of the wood, as is clear from their descriptions.

Name. In Latin it is called Greatest Tree-Reed original: "Arundarbor maxima", in Malay Bulu sammet, Bulu gantang, and Bulu wani besaar, in Amboinese Terin maysele, in Ternatese Tabatiko sammat, and in Chinese Cuytick and Moatick, that is, the Greatest Reed. All large reeds are called Sammat and Samane by the Malays and Amboinese, which are tied to the wings outriggers of the smaller vessels or Correcorren so that they may float better in the water and not capsize; for which purpose these species were formerly used, but later it was found that the following Bulu fwangi was better suited and more durable, all the more so since the former reed is rarely found in Amboina.

...the leaves are, generally, eleven inches long, one inch wide, thin, smooth, not very ribbed or wrinkled. The root is jointed and creeps sideways, like the previous kinds, and the Robong comes forth in the same way, which is considered the most suitable for making Atsjar pickles, because it is sweet and thick in substance. It occupies an entire field, very thick with stalks and hanging together by the roots. It loves the mountains, yet allows itself to be transplanted with the cut-off joints if one makes a hole in them and fills them with mud.

Name. In Latin Arundarbor aspera Rough Tree-Reed, in Malay, Balinese, and Javanese Bulu Potong, some simply Potong; some call it specifically Bulu wani, Wani being properly the vessels made from this as well as other reeds which have a large cavity, which one hangs on trees to tap some drink from them; in Amboinese Terin hahuru or Telin hahulu, that is, "rough reed"; others Utte wani; in Ternatese Tabatico ake, that is, "water reed"; in Banda Bulu fwangi.

Place. In Amboina itself one does not have it except here and there in a cluster where it is planted; on Huamohela it is abundant, where it occupies large fields, mostly on the front mountains and open valleys. Through the large rivers, entire clusters are sometimes washed out and carried to another island, where the inhabitants retrieve them and let them take root, as I have seen on Hitu.

Use. Because it is a tall, straight, and stiff reed, it is mostly used for masts on Correcorren Kora-kora boats and other small vessels. The uppermost joints, as said, serve the Tiffadoors sap-tappers as tapping-reeds, and the whole stalk for house posts and paggers fences. The young Robong shoot, which is not yet three feet high, is good in the kitchen for mash, and to make atsjar from it, as was taught in the previous Chapter.

— The sixth genus of tree-reed, or the third sort of Terin, is the Arundarbor maxima Greatest Tree-Reed, reaching the height of a full-grown Calappus tree Coconut tree, namely, eighty to a hundred feet. The thickness here in this land is that of a thigh, but in other places of old India and Asia that of a full-grown man and more. The joints are only three feet long, the wood scarcely a pinky-finger thick, but in other countries an inch thick, and therefore with a large cavity inside; on the outside a little rough, but not at all mealy like the previous one.

The stems shoot straight up, without side branches until the very top, where they have only a few branches. The leaves are mostly like the previous ones, or even as small. The flowers and fruits of these two sorts are still unknown, and according to the saying of the inhabitants, are rarely seen; perhaps it goes with these reeds as Doctor Paul Herman testifies of the Ceylonese Nuayhas, which must be sixty years old when it shall bring forth its knotty blossom, throwing off most of its leaves beforehand and dying shortly thereafter. Many mix these two sorts together and hold them for one under the name of Bulu wani or Potong, because the previous Potong growing by itself in the mountains corresponds best in height and thickness with the last sort, and has little of that rough meal which mostly comes on the stems when one often cuts off the bushes so that they cannot get their full growth; the most difference consists in the thickness of the wood of the reed, as appears from the description.

Name. In Latin Arundarbor maxima, in Malay Bulu sammet, Bulu gantang, and Bulu wani besaar, in Amboinese Terin maysele, in Ternatese Tabatiko sammat, in Chinese Cuytick and Moatick, that is, the "greatest reed." Sammat and Samane are the names in Malay and Amboinese for all large reeds which one binds to the wings outriggers of the Correcorren, so that they might float lighter on the water and not capsize; for which one formerly used this sort, but afterward found that the following Bulu fwangi is better and more durable for that; more so because one can get little of this reed in Amboina.