DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES OF MUSA 269 



23. M. Fitzalani F. Muell. Trunk 20 ft. long. Leaves 

 10-12 ft. long, 2 ft. broad. Inflorescence drooping. Fruits 

 oblong, angled, not pulpy, 2-3 in. long, with a stalk J in. 

 long. Seeds numerous. Queensland. 



24. M. Banksil F. Muell. Trunk and leaf like those of 

 the banana, suckering. Leaves 5-6 ft. long, lJ-2 ft. 

 broad. Inflorescence drooping. Fruits quite cylindrical 

 when dry, without any angle, straight, with a stalk 1^-2 in. 

 long. Seeds grey, almost globular, J in. in diameter. 

 Queensland. This species yields a fibre of poor quality. 



25. M. fehi Vieill. Trunk 15-20 ft. long, greenish, 

 full of violet juice, suckering. Leaves larger and firmer in 

 texture than in the banana and plantain, with stouter 

 veins. Inflorescence long, erect. Perianth split at length 

 nearly to the base. Fruits many in a bunch, oblong, 

 angled, 5-6 in. long by above 1 in. in diameter, nearly 

 straight, yellow when ripe, with a thick skin and moderately 

 firm pulp, not very palatable when raw, but excellent 

 when cooked. Seeds small, black. Common in the forests 

 of Tahiti, where it is largely used for food ; seedless at low 

 levels, but bearing seeds at an altitude of 3000-3600 ft. 

 Native name " Fei." Also found in New Caledonia. 



26. M. malaccensis Ridley. Trunk slender, 6 in. in 

 diameter, with purple-brown blotches. Leaves about 

 8 ft. long, green with brown bars. Inflorescence drooping, 

 clothed with brown hairs. Bracts lanceolate, brown, 

 glaucous outside, striped with yellow on the inside. Fruit 

 4 in. long. Seeds black, angular. Malay Peninsula. 

 Ridley is of the opinion that " this species may perhaps be 

 the parent of some of the cultivated bananas in the 

 Peninsula, but is very distinct from M. sapientum in the 

 hairy rhachis, &c. An attempt has been made to utilize 

 the fibre. The plant is very abundant and springs up like 

 a weed when old jungle is felled, and forms an impenetrable 

 thicket." 



M. zebrina Flore des Serres (leaves with broad, irregular 

 blotches of bronzy red and purple) is, according to Ridley, 

 a young plant either of M. malaccensis or of M. sumatrana. 



