78 
The foregoing memorial and resolutions were approved by the 
Board of Managers at a meeting held May 23, 1912. 
N. L. Britton, Secretary. 
THE BANANA HOUSE. 
No collection of plants in conservatory range I more impresses 
the visitor with the wonderful vigor of growth of tropical vege- 
tation than the collection of banana and other plants assembled 
in house no. 11. The stately stems and the large broad leaves, 
perfect in shape, are very impressive. 
ll the large plants here, those of commanding stature and 
striking in their appearance, belong to the banana family, 
Musaceae. The wonderful leaves of the traveler’s tree, Ravenala 
madagascariensis, at once arrest the attention. These are arranged 
in a fan-like manner, the broad flat blades borne on stout stalks 
several feetlong. Initsnative land, Madagascar, it serves several 
economic purposes. Related to this, and resembling it somewhat 
in appearance, is the tall bird-of-paradise-flower, Streliizia Nicolat, 
with its fantastic flowers of blue and white, borne up among the 
large leaves. Among the smaller members of this genus, never 
attaining the dignity of a trunk, is that known as the queen's 
bird-of-paradise flower, S. reginae. This is more common in 
cultivation and has gorgeous flowers of blue and gold. 
The most interesting yaaa, in this fay is the common banana, 
Musa sapientum, which is widely cul 1inall tropicaland warm 
temperate regions the world over, where it and its related species, 
the plantain, M. paradisiaca, furnish a great part of the food to 
millions of people. All members of the genus Musa are natives 
of the tropical Old World. Another banana, known as the 
Chinese dwarf, is M@. Cavendishii, of southern China. A plant 
of this is now forming a bunch of fruit. The edible bananas all 
bear their fruit in pendulous clusters, and reproduce themselves 
means of ‘‘shoots’”’ or ‘‘suckers’’ arising from the root, 
having lost the power of producing seed. Another member of 
this genus of economic importance is M. textilis, of the East 
