I. Belamcanda.] 154. IBID ACE. ^. 



rootstock. Flowers tawny-red or orange-red, black or scarlet-spotted, 

 in a branched spathaceous panicle about 2-2-5 ft. high, regular with 

 very short perianth-tube and oblong spreading subequal segments. 

 Stamens inserted at the base of the perianth, filaments filiform. 

 Ovary obovoid, tips of style-arms reniform. Capsule obovoid, 

 membranous. 



Very common in gardens in all districts ! Fl. r.s. Native of China, and doubt- 

 fully wild in the Lower Himalayas. 



SERIES.— SCITAMINE^. 



FAM. 155. MUSACE^. 



Large or gigantic herbs with a short or long pseudostem formed of 

 the stout convolute leaf-sheaths often from a rhizome, or small trees 

 with a true stem marked with leaf-scars. Leaf blade very large, 

 penniveined, petioled above the sheath. Flowers zygomorphic, often 

 large but inconspicuous, or sometimes showy, the inflorescence (of 

 simple or compound spikes) often very conspicuous by large brilhantly 

 coloured bracts and spathes. Outer and inner perianth segments 

 usually petaloid, free or variously united. Fertile stamens 5, very 

 rarely 6, the posterior usually replaced by a staminode, anthers linear 

 2-celled. Ovary inferior 3-ceIled. St3de free often 3-6-lobed. Ovules 

 1-many in each cell. Fruit baccate or capsular. Seeds, often 

 arilled, with straight embryo in a mealy perisperm. 



The flowers are sometimes functionally 1 -sexual. In the male the ovary is 

 almost entirely converted into a nectary. Glands occiu- in the ovarian septa as 

 in the Marantacese. 

 I. Leaves spirally arranged. Sepals connate and also adnata 



to the corolla. Stem of convolute sheaths . . .1. Musa. 



II. Leaves 2-farious. Sepals free. True stem often present : — 



Petals free ......... 2. Ravenala. 



Two lateral petals connate ..... . Strelitzia 



(p. 1128.) 



1. MUSA, L. Banana; Plantain, 

 Large or gigantic rhizomatous (in our species) herbs, often arboreous 

 in form with a stem composed of the convolute leaf-sheaths. Leaves 

 very large, spirally arranged and forming a compact crown, lateral 

 nerves spreading. Flowers mostl}' 1 -sexual, not brightly coloured, in the 

 axils of large, usually coloured, closely imbricate spiral bracts of a stout 

 spike which arises from the rhizome and is pushed up through the 

 centre of the pseudostem until it emerges from the top ; flowers at 

 the base of the spike usually female or 2-sexual, top of spike some- 

 times ending in a cone of flowerless bracts. Sepals and 2 of the 

 petals usually connate into a 3-5-cleft or -toothed tube, posterior 

 petal free and usually much shorter than the rest. Stamens 5 fertile 

 (6 in M. ensete an African species), the 6th obsolete or a staminode. 

 Ovary 3-celled with many ovules and seeds in the wild plants (often 

 suppressed in cultivated fruits). Fruit baccate, elongate, crowned 

 with the remains of the flower. 



Spike decurved in flower, bracts ovate purple, very many . .1. sapientum. 

 Spike erect in flower. Bracts oblong, a bright rose, few . . 2. ornata. 



1126 



