PETALOIDE,^. 673 



Natural Order 2o2. Musace^e; — The Banajaa or Plantain 

 Order.— Character. — Herbaceous plants, often of large size. 

 Leaves large, with parallel curved veins springing from the 

 midribs {fig. 292), and long sheathing petioles, which together 

 form by their union a spurious aerial stem. Flowers irregular, 

 spathaceous. Perianth irregular, 6-parted, petaloid, superior, 

 arranged in 2 whorls. Stamens 6, inserted upon the divisions 

 of the perianth, some abortive ; anthers 2-celled. Ovary inferior, 

 3-celled. Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally, or indehiscent 

 and succulent, 3-celled. Seeds usually numerous, rarely 3, with 

 mealy albumen ; embryo not enclosed in a vitellus. 



Distribution, ^'c. — Generally diffused throughout tropical and 

 sub-tropical regions. Earraijyles of the Genera: — Musa, Eave- 

 nala. There are about 20 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The fruits of some species form most 

 important articles of food in tropical regions. Others yield valu- 

 able textile materials ; and the large leaves of many are used 

 for various pui'poses, such as a kind of cloth, thatching for 

 cottages, &c. The seeds and fruits of others are used as dyeing 

 agents in some countries. 



Musa. — The fniits of some species, as those of M. paradisiaca, the Plan- 

 tain, and M. sapientum, the Banana, are well knoTvn as important articles 

 of food in many tropical regions. They owe their value in this respect 

 chiefly to the presence of starch and sugar, but they also contain ssome 

 nitrogenous substances. Dr. Shier states that a new plantain-^valk will 

 yield IT cwt. of starch per acre. According to Humboldt, the produce 

 of Bananas to that of wheat is as 133 to 1, and to that of potatoes as 

 44 to 1. The expressed juice is in some parts made into a fermented 

 liquor. The fibrous material of the spurious stems of the different species of 

 Mitsa may be used for textile fabrics, and in paper-making. The fibres ob- 

 tained fi-om Musa textilis constitute the Manilla Hemp of commerce. From 

 the finer fibres of this plant the celebrated Indian muslins are manufactm-ed. 

 The young shoots of the Banana and other species of Musa are boiled and 

 eaten as a vegetable ; and the large leaves are used for various domestic 

 purposes. The young leaves of the Banana and Plantain are in common 

 use in India for dressing blistered surfaces. 



Ravenala speciosa has been called the Water-tree and Traveller's-tree, on 

 account of its large sheathing petioles storing up water. Its seeds are 

 edible. 



Natural Order 253. InmACEJE. — The Iris or Corn-Flag Order 

 {figs. 103ii-1038). — Character. — Herbaceous plants, usually 

 with bulbs, corms {figs. 219 and 220), or rhizomes {fig. 208). 

 Leavesynth. parallel straight venation, generally equitant. Flowers 

 spathaceous {fig. 1034), regular {fig. 1035) or irregular. Peri- 

 anth superior {fig. 1037), petaloid, 6-parted {fig. 1035), in 2 

 whorls {fig. 1034). Stamens 3, inserted on the outer segments of 

 the perianth {fig. 1035) ; anthers 2-celled extrorse. Ovary inferior 

 {fig. 1037), 3-celled {fig. 1034) ; style 1 {figs-. 1035 and 1036); 

 stigmas 3, often petaloid {figs. 629 and lOZQ). Fruit capsular, 

 3-celled, 3-valved, with loculicidal dehiscence {fig. 696). Seeds 

 numerous, with horny or hard albimien {fig. 1038). 



Distribution, ^'c. — Chiefly natives of temperate and warm 



