62 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF MUSA. 
India; and which was remarkable both for its sweetness and 
for its size, as one would suffice for four men—referring 
most probably to a bunch of plantains. Pliny, evidently 
describing the same plant, informs us that its name was Pala. 
Garcias, in comparatively modern times, describing the plan- 
tain, states that its name on the Malabar coast was Palan. 
The plants of Musa are conspicuous for their size among 
herbaceous plants. They are devoid of true stems, but form 
a spurious stem, often of considerable thickness, from the leaves, 
as they rise from the root-stock, being sheathing at their base, 
encircling each other, and enveloping, layer within layer, the 
slender flower and fruit-stalk. This, rising through the centre, 
projects and hangs down from the top of the sheathing part of 
the leaves. These, at this point, expand into broad, and at the 
same time long laminz or blades, in which numerous parallel 
veins proceed at right angles from the thick midrib to the mar- 
gin of each leaf. As these veins do not anastomose and form a 
network as in ordinary leaves, the leaves are apt, when blown 
about by the wind, to be divided into innumerable narrow 
shreds, which are still attached to the midrib. This appear- 
ance, no doubt, suggested and justifies the leaves being said 
to be like ostrich feathers. Every part, both of the sheathing 
and the exposed parts of these leaves, abounds in fibre. 
The species of Musa are found in hot and tropical parts of 
the world, as in the Phillipine Isles, where Musa textilis is 
indigenous, as well as in those of the Indian Archipelago, 
where the edible species are common. From thence they 
extend northwards as far as Japan; while in China are found 
Musa coccinea and Cavendishii; also along the Malayan 
Peninsula to Chittagong—WM. glauca being indigenous in the 
former, and M. ornata in the latter locality. In the valleys 
of the south of the Peninsula of India and of the Dindygul 
Mountains, M. superba is found. The common edible varieties 
of M. paradisiaca flourish even in the poorest soils, and also 
near brackish water. They are extensively cultivated at stations 
in the interior. On the Malabar coast, the Plantain is every- 
where at home. The fruit of those at Bassein is especially 
well-flavoured, and the plant is particularly abundant in the 
district of Broach. 
If from the west we return to the east of India, we find the 
