MUSACEAK 153 



Inflorescence terminal erect, dichotomously branched, the spathes ovate to 

 ovate-lanceolate, about 1 cm long, many-flowered, 1 or 2 opening at' a 

 time, 5 to 6 cm in diameter, the perianth-lobes spreading narrowly- 

 elliptic, narrowed at both ends, yellowish outside, inside reddish-yellow 

 with darker spots. (Fl. Filip. pi. 376, Pardanthus chinensis.) 



Cultivated in larger towns in the Philippines, sometimes spontaneous, 

 fl. all the year. A native of China now introduced in many warm and 

 tropical countries. 



2. ELEUTHERINE Herbert 



Herbs from purple, tunitsated bulbs, the outer layers membranaceous. 

 Leaves few, petioled, lanceolate, 6- or 7-nerved, plicate. Scapes as long as 

 the leaves, flowering at the apex, the long-peduncled spathes fascicled, 

 subtended by a lanceolate, leaf -like bradt. Spathes green, oblong, up to 

 12 on each scape, much shorter than their peduncles, many-flowered, one 

 flower opening at a time, the inner valves many, membranaceous, im- 

 bricate. Perianth regular, rotate, white, the tube not produced above the 

 ovary; segments 6, obovate, the interior ones slightly smaller. Stamens 3, 

 shorter than the perianth-limb. Ovary clavate, 3-celled, cells many- 

 ovuled. Capsule cylindric, 6-sulcate, operculate, 3-valved at the apex. 

 (Greek "free.") 



An American genus of one or two species, 1 introduced in the Phil- 

 ippines. 



1. E. PALMAEFOLIA (L.) Merr. {E. plicata Herb.). 



Bulbs about 4 cm long, ovoid-oblong, narrowed at ,both ends, the outer 

 layers thin, purple. Leaves lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, plicate, 

 3 or 4 from each bulb, 30 to 50 cm long, 1.5 to 3 cm wide. Scapes 

 rather slender, as long as the leaves, green. Spathes 10 to 12 mm long, 

 the outer two green, the inner ones very much thinner, greenish-white. 

 Flowers white, about 2 cm in diameter, the lobes obovate, spreading. 

 (Fl. Filip. pi. 100, Antholyza meriana.) 



Occasionally cultivated, fl. May-July, and probably in other months; 

 in and about some towns in the Philippines, sometimes spontaneous. 

 Introduced from tropical America at an. early date. 



28. MUSACEAE (Banana ob Saguing Family) 



Stems erect, tree-like with the leaves all at the top, or formed of the 

 fleshy, convulute, closely imbricate, leaf-sheaths. Leaves very large, 

 oblong, distichous or spirally arranged. Inflorescence simple or compound, 

 bracteate. Flowers sessile or pedicelled, ebracteolate or with small 

 bracteoles, perfect or monoecious. Petals free or connate, the corolla 

 often inflated and surrounding the anthers and style. Stamens 5, free; 

 staminode 1 or none. Ovary inferior, 3-celled; ovules 1 to many in each 

 cell. Fruit fleshy and baccate, or a dehiscent capsule. 



Genera 6, species more than 100, in the tropics of both hemispheres, 

 1 indigenous genus with a number of distinct species, and several in- 

 troduced ones in the Philippines. 



Leaves spirally arranged, their sheaths closely imbricated forming a 

 cylindric fleshy trunk ^ 1- Musa 



Leaves distichous, radiately arranged in one plane like a fan at the apex 

 of the trunk 2. Ravenala 



