128 



DR. KIRK CS MUSA LTYINGSTOXIATTA. 



Ou Mtisa Livinr/stoniana^ a newz-Banana from Tropical Africa. 



By JoiiK KiR^, M.D.,r.L.S. 



[Read January 19, 1865.] 



Musa Livingstoniana^ sp. nov. 



Hah. The mountaius of Equatorial Africa. Grorongozo, south 

 latitude 19^; Mangaiija, south latitude 11^; Maravi countrv:, 

 south latitude 12°, and the Niger region ? 



In habit this Banana is undistinguisliable from Miisa JEnsete, 

 Gmel. Syst., and Hook. Journ. Bot. and Bot. Mag. vol. Ixxxvii. 

 tab. 5. 223, 224^ (ilZ. JEnsefe, Bruce), Ashich is also a native of 

 the same re2:ion. 



AVhere found, several grew together, and the natives liad built 

 huts under their shade. Possibly it is cultivated in some parts. 



It is 18 feet high ; the stem thick, conical, and bulged at the 

 base, where it is of a purple colour. 



The leaf is nearly sessile, the midrib thick, and the blade broad. 

 In these respects it resembles 3£ Ensete ; but the seed is very 

 difterent. All we know of the fruit is from fallen and withered 

 specimens. There is a pendent group of many leathery capsules, 

 each 4 inches long, with several seeds ; these are the size of a pea, 

 5" long, %" broad, tuberculated on the surface, rounded, with flat- 

 tened facets : at one extremity is a deep hilum with raised pro- 

 minent edges ; at the other a disk-shaped elevation. 



The testa is black, but not glossy as in M. Ensete^ hard and 

 brittle. The albumen is white and mealy, deeply convex at both 

 ends, Avhere the hilum and the disk-shaped elevation project 

 inwards. 



The natives ascribe virtues to these seeds, as fetish ; and wear 

 them in the purification of women. The seeds of M. Ensete are 

 nsed in a similar way, but for another purpose. 



I find in the jMuseum of the Eoyal Gardens, Kew, seeds sent 

 from the Niger Expedition by Mr. Barter, undistinguishable 

 from those brought home by myself. 



The common Banana (ilT. sapientmn) is grown in the country, 

 but has been introduced, as its distribution shows. 



