CHAPTER XXXIII 

 PLANTS ALLIED TO THE BANANA 



THE nearest genera to Musa are Ravenala, Strelitzia, and 

 Heliconia. The plants belonging to these three genera 

 are not of the same vast importance as the banana and 

 plantain, but they are remarkable for their noble form 

 and foliage, and are of value therefore from a horticultural 

 point of view. 



Ravenala madagascariensis is the Traveller's Tree of 

 Madagascar, probably so called on account of the water 

 stored up in the long hollow leaf -stalks. The leaves are 

 of somewhat the same shape as those of the banana, but 

 larger, and are arranged in one plane, like a gigantic fan 

 at the top of the stem ; they are used for thatching in 

 their native country. The seeds are edible, and the blue 

 pulpy aril which surrounds them yields an essential oil. 

 The only other species, R. guianensis, a native of Guiana, 

 is not so well known. Both species are well worth 

 cultivation. 



The species of Strelitzia are natives of South Africa ; 

 they are large perennial herbaceous plants, most of them 

 with curious and gorgeous flowers, called " bird of paradise 

 flowers." " The flowers remind one of those of the iris 

 family, and consist of six segments, the three outer usually 

 of a brilliant orange colour (white in S. augusta), while the 

 three inner are unequal, the two lower ones united, forming 

 an arrow-headlike hood, of a rich purple colour, and con- 

 cealing in a slit or fold the five perfect stamens and an 

 imperfect one. These fine flowering and foliage plants are 

 much hardier than is generally supposed, and well deserve 

 more general culture. Numerous beautiful seminal varie- 



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