274 THE BANANA 



1905). Plant three or four times as high as a man. Leaves 

 16 ft. long by 3 ft., and more, broad. Inflorescence very 

 large, drooping. Upper bracts covering the male flowers, 

 long persistent. Male flowers, about J in. long, stalked ; 

 perianth more or less deeply three-lobed, lobes linear, 

 hooded at apex ; free petal with three or sometimes five 

 lobes, the middle lobe oval-shaped, lateral toothed. 

 Fruit pear-shaped, about 4 in. long by 2 in. broad. Seeds 

 very large, about f in. broad. West Usambara. Near 

 M. Ensete. 



47. M. fecunda Stapf (Journ. Linn. Soc., xxxvii. p. 528, 

 1906). Trunk 2 ft. in diameter at base. Inflorescence 

 drooping. Bracts lanceolate-oblong, subacuminate, about 

 Ij ft. long and 5 in. broad. Flowers very numerous. 

 Perianth linear-oblong, apex obtuse three-toothed, 2 in. 

 long, with two awl- shaped strips on the inside, nearly 1 in. 

 long ; free petal three-lobed, about in. long, the median 

 lobe awl-shaped, lateral lobes rounded. Fruits very 

 numerous (418 counted in one bunch). Seeds, a little over 

 J in. in diameter, flattened-globular. Uganda, 5000 ft, 

 altitude. 



48. M. Perrierii Claverie (Comptes Rendus Acad. Sc. 

 Paris, cxl. p. 1612, 1905). Plant to 20 ft. high ; trunk 

 2 ft. in diameter at base. Inflorescence drooping. Bracts 

 oval, varying in colour green, yellow, rose, violet. 

 Flowers 18-20 under each bract. Free petal three-lobed, 

 median lobe acute, lateral lobes rounded. Stamens five 

 perfect and one abortive. Fruits very numerous (210 

 counted on one bunch), 4 or 5 in. long and about 1 in. 

 thick ; pulp yellowish, forming a thin layer Seeds 

 numerous, black, irregularly ovoid, J in. in diameter. 



49. M. ulugurensis Warb. and Moritz (Tropenpflanzer, 

 viii. p. 116, with figures, 1904). Plant over 20 ft. high. 

 Trunk about 2 ft. in diameter at base. Leaves 16 ft. long. 

 Inflorescence drooping. Female flowers (before opening) 

 6 in. long. Perianth (not yet open) 2 in. long, divided nearly 

 to the base into three obtuse lobes with two linear strips 

 en the inside alternating with the lobes and about as long ; 



