MUSACEAE. 47 



1. GYEOTHECA Salisb. Herbs with colored rootstocks. Leaves equi- 

 tant. Flowers in a terminal cymose corymb. Perianth pubescent without. 

 Capsule covered with the persistent perianth. 



1. O. tinctoria (Walt.) Salisb. Stem 3-12 dm. tall, pubescent above: leaves 

 shorter than the stem, the cauline gradually reduced: sepals and petals nearly 

 linear, the latter 10-12 mm. long: capsules 5-6 mm. in diameter. Everglades. 

 (Cuba.) BED-ROOT. 



Order SCITAMINALES. 



Large, commonly perennial, herbs with rootstocks or tubers. Leaves 

 alternate, sometimes all basal: blades relatively large: petioles sheathing 

 at the base. Flowers very irregular. Perianth white or bright-colored. 

 Androecium very irregular or sometimes with one stamen or more reduced 

 to staminodia. Gynoecium compound. Ovary inferior. Fruit a capsule, 

 a berry, or a utricle. Endosperm present. 



Pollenlferous stamens 5. Fam. 1. MDSACEAE. 



Polleniferous stamen 1. 



Ovary 3-celled, all the cavities fructiferous : ovules 

 numerous In each cavity of the ovary : fruit cap- 

 sular : embryo straight. 



Sepals partially united : anthers 2-celled. Fam. 2. ALPINIACEAB. 



Sepals distinct : anthers 1-celled. Fam. 3. CANNACEAE. 



Ovary 1-celled, or 3-celled, but 2 of the cavities usually 

 abortive : ovules solitary in each cavity of the ovary : 

 fruit utricular : embryo hooked. Fam. 4. MAKANTACEAB. 



FAMILY 1. MUSACEAE. BANANA FAMILY. 



Caulescent, usually large herbs, or trees. Flowers perfect or some- 

 what monoecious. Calyx of 3 distinct sepals or united into a sheath-like 

 organ. Corolla of 3 distinct petals or of partially united petals, some- 

 times partially adnate to the calyx. Androecium of 3 united carpels. 

 Fruit baccate or capsular. 



1. MUSA L. Tree-like herbs, the stem sheathed by the thick leaf-bases. 

 Leaves with large prominently feather-veined blades. Inflorescence drooping, 

 with large bracts. Petals shorter than the sepals, two of them partially 

 adnate to the calyx-tube, the other short, ending in a bent tip. Berry elongate. 

 BANANA. 



Leaf-blades sessile or nearly so : free petal less than % as long as the perianth. 



1. M. CavendishU. 

 Leaf-blades long-petioled : free petal over % as long as the 



perianth. 2. If. sapient um. 



1. M. Cavendishii Lamb. Plants stocky, mostly 1-2.5 m. tall: leaf -blades 

 broadly oblong, mostly 1-2 m. long, abruptly contracted at the base: perianth 

 usually over 3.5 cm. long; lateral calyx-lobes prominently appendaged; 

 corolla-lobes ovate: free petal oblong, the tip nearly erect: fruits oblong, 

 mostly 10-15 cm. long, yellowish, the pulp sweet. Hammocks. Nat. of China. 



F. K. DWARF-BAXAXA. 



2. M. sapientum L. Plants rather slender, 3-7 m. tall: leaf -blades mostly 

 1-2 m. long, narrowed at the base: perianth usually less than 3.5 cm. long; 

 lateral calyx-lobes minutely appendaged; corolla-lobes lanceolate: free petal 

 broadly obovate, the tip inflexed: fruits oblong, 8-11 cm. long, bright-yellow, 

 the pulp sweet. Hammocks. Xat. of the E. Indies. F. K. COMMON-BANANA. 



