Musaceae

M. acuminata Colla, Mem. Gen. Musa 66 (1820). Syn: M. cavendishii Lambert ex Paxton in Pax ton's Mag. Bot. 3:51, with fig. (1837). Ic: Rumphius, Herb. Amb. 138 t. 61 f. 1 (1741).
'Stems' (1.5-)2-3 m. Lamina oblong, 100-200 x 40-60 cm, obtuse, often torn by wind and splitting at right angles to midrib, glabrous. Inflorescence a stout spike becoming recurved and pendent, to 1 m; axis pubescent. Flowers creamy-yellow, in axil of large spathe-like bract; bract broadly ovate, 10 cm, glaucous, dull reddish-purple. Pistillate flowers (often staminodal) at base, staminate flowers (with rudimentary ovary) at middle and apex of spike. Perianth with 5 segments forming a 20-30 mm incomplete tube, sixth segment free. Fruit curved-cylindrical, (10-)12-18 cm, bright yellow turning brown; flesh paler yellow, sweet. Seeds abortive. Cultivated.
Type: [Moluccas] Habitat in Amboinae sylvis.
S. Anatolia. C3 Antalya: Antalya, Vural obs. C4 Antalya: Alanya, Vural obs. Içel: Anamur, D. obs., where it has given its name to the Bananas Palas Oteli. C5 Adana: Adana, Vural obs.
Old World tropics, Indo-Malaysian in origin. The Turkish plant (in Turkish, 'muz') is probably cv. 'Robusta', described from cultivated material. M. cav-endishii Lambert ex Paxton is the earliest and probably the least confusing binomial for this seedless cultivar which is an autotriploid derived from the wild species M. acuminata Colla. It morphologically resembles M. x paradis-iaca L., another sterile triploid hybrid, but is genetically isolated from it.
Strelitzla regime Banks, the 'Bird-of-Paradise' flower (in Turkish, "cennet-kusu'), is commonly grown in Istanbul for its exotic and ornamental flowers which are sold by florists (A2(A) Istanbul: Maltepe, A. & T. Baytop ISTE 24246! 36620!).