38. IRIDACEAE — 39. MUSACEAE I45 



Ovary 3-celled, with axile placentas. — Species 15. Nortli Africa. Many 

 of them are used as ornamental plants, some are- poisonous ; the root- 

 stock of several species (orris-root) is edible and yields tanningj materials, 

 perfumes, and medicaments Iris L. 



ORDER SCITAMINEAE 



FAMILY 39. MUSACEAE 



Tall herbaceous plants. Leaves with a large, oblong or ovate, penni-nerved 

 blade. Flowers subtended by large bracts and arranged in usually spicate 

 rows or cymes, irregular. Perianth corolla-hke. Fertile stamens 5, rarely 6. 

 Filaments free. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary inferior, 3-celled. Style free from 

 the stamens, 3 — 6-lobed. Seeds with a straight embrj^o and mealy albumen. — 

 •Genera 4, species 25. {Under SCIT AMIN E A E.) (Plate 23.) 



1. Leaves spirally arranged. Partial inflorescences consisting of i — 2 rows of 



flowers. Flowers monoecious or polygamous. Sepals and two of the 

 petals united below. Fruit berry-like. Seeds without an aril. — Species 

 15, growing wild in the tropics, besides 4 (especially M. paradisiaca L.) 

 which are cultivated in various regions. They yield fibre (Manila hemp), 

 tanning and dyeing materials, vegetables, and edible fruits (bananas and 

 plantains), from which also starch, sugar, vinegar, and alcoholic liquor 

 are made. Some species are used as ornamental plants. [Subfamily 



MUSOIDEAE.] Musa L. 



Leaves 2-ranked. Partial inflorescences cymose. Flowers hermaphrodite. 

 Sepals free or the lateral ones united with the petals. Fruit capsular. 

 [Subfamily STRELITZIOIDEAE.] 2 



2. Odd sepal posterior. Petals united at the base. Ovules solitary in each 



ovary-cell. Fruit opening septicidally. Seeds without an aril. — 

 Species i. Naturalised on the Canary Islands. An ornamental plant ; 

 the root-stock is edible. [Tribe HELICONIEAE.] Heliconia L. 

 Odd sepal anterior. Petals free, at least one of them. Ovules many 

 in each ovary-cell. Fruit opening loculicidally. Seeds with an aril. 

 [Tribe STRELITZIEAE.] ......" 3 



3. Petals very unequal, the two lateral ones elongated, connate on one side, 



provided with a wing-like appendage on the other, the third petal very 

 short. Stamens 5. Aril yellow. Inflorescence few-flowered. Stem 

 moderately taU. — Species 4. South Africa. Some are used as orna- 

 mental plants. (Plate 23.) Strelitzia L. 



Petals subequal, free, without an appendage. Stamens 6. Aril blue. 

 Inflorescence many-flowered. Stem very tall. Species i {R. madagas- 

 cariensis Sonn., traveller's tree). Madagascar and Mascarene Islands. 

 The leaves are used in house-building ; their sheaths retain much water ; 

 the sap also furnishes a drink. The seeds are edible and yield a fat. 



Ravenala Adans. 



K 



