331 
by any means been studied carefully, and there is no standard work 
existing giving an adequate oni gee of their history, origin, and dis- 
tribution in various parts of t orld, The information respecting 
them is scattered through numerous boot which are seldom Pree tote 
except in large libraries paper on Les differentes espécs dans le 
genre Musa (Bananier), by Dr. Sagot, was published in the Joursat de 
la Société Nationale d' Horticulture de France, April and May, 1887. 
Dr. Sagot eta bara Musas (or Bananas as he called them) into three 
P as follo 
. The Giant Bananas, of which M. Ensete is the type. In this 
group no suckers are formed. The fruit is inedible and leathery, 
seeds few. 
2. Fleshy-fruited Bananas, with M. sapientum as the type. Stem 
ucing suckers ; spike long and decurved ; fruit fleshy and 
usually edible. 
3. Ornamental Bananas. Spike often erect, not pendent, bracts per- 
sistent, brightly coloured, each with only a few flowers in its axil, 
suckers many, fruit leathery. M. rosacea and M. coccinea are 
familiar examples of this group. 
More recently, in 1893, 4 Synopis of the Genera and Species of 
Musee, prepared by Mr. J. G. Baker, F.R.S., was ra in the 
and several Siruta. Mr. Baker’s paper EA together, for the first 
he chief 
are incorporated here. e sub-generic distinctions adopted by Mr. 
Baker are based on the shape of the stem, the pros of flowers to a 
bract, the shape of the petal, and the colour of the bract. His divisions, 
like those of Sagot, are three, and they sini e include almost the 
same species. 
DESCRIPTIVE. 
The stem Pre stem) in Musas usually arises from a perennial 
rootstock which is made up of a number of successive shoots extending 
outwards from the original base. The apparent stem arising from eac h 
eaves 
Gra Bot. Mag.. t. 3849) had E noticed the growth of the 
lover of Musas in this conntry“ in 1 He says :—- 
« "The flower-bud, as I have proved by cutting down full-grown plants 
of Musa rosacea and Cavendishii, and I think also of M. paradisiaca, 
^in 
