THE MONOCOTYLEDOXES 



1983 



rhizome. The inflorescence emerges from the centre of the column of leaf 

 sheaths and bears numerous flowers in the axils of leathery, often red- 

 coloured bracts. The female flowers are restricted to the basal part of 

 the inflorescence. The sepals and two anterior petals are formed into a tube 

 while the posterior petal is free. There are usually five fertile stamens. The 

 fruit is an elongated berry. M. sapientiim (Fig. 19 14) is the Banana, w^hich 

 is now grown in many parts of the tropics, especially in Central America and 



Fig. 1 914. — Aliisa sapient nin. Banana. Large 

 pendent inflorescence, the lower part of 

 which is already set with parthenocarpic 

 fruits. The apical part is still in flower, 

 with large caducous bracts. Photograph 

 supplied by courtesy of the Florida 

 Agricultural Experiment Station. 



the West Indies. M. paradisiaca is the Plantain, from which the Banana 

 may have originated. The stalk of M. ensete is eaten in Abyssinia, while 

 M. textilis, which grows in the Philippine Islands, is cultivated to furnish 

 a useful fibre known as Abaca or Manila Hemp. The dwarf Banana grown 

 in the Canary Islands is M. cavendishii. 



The genus Ravenala (Fig. 19 15) contains only two species which are 

 found in INIadagascar and South America. They possess a true aerial stem 

 which bears two ranks of very large leaves giving the plant a fanlike 

 appearance. R. guyanensis occurs in America while R. madagascariensis is 

 the Traveller's Tree, so called because of the water which collects in the 

 leaf bases and can be used for drinking in cases of necessity. This water is 

 obtained by piercing the leaf base with a knife. The flowers are pollinated 

 by humming-birds. The stamens and style are enclosed by a sheath formed 



