Musa (genus)
Musa is one of two or three genera in the family Musaceae; it includes bananas and plantains. Around 70 species of Musa are known, with a broad variety of uses.
| Musa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Banana plants, Kanaha Beach, Maui | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Musa |
| Species | |
|
Around 70, see text. | |
Many bananas and plantains grow as high as trees, but they are not woody. Their apparent "stem" is made up of the bases of the huge leaf stalks. For this reason, they are technically gigantic herbs.
Musa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the giant leopard moth and other Hypercompe species, including H. albescens (only recorded on Musa), H. eridanus, and H. icasia.
Musa (genus) Media
Serving food on a banana leaf is a popular tradition in certain parts of India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Fruit stalk of Musa sp.
Banana flowers.
Musa acuminata with inflorescence
Japanese fiber banana (Musa basjoo) flowering at Cotswold Wildlife Park
Musa ornata 'Roxburgh' in China
Pink banana (Musa velutina) flower
Varigated form of Musa sp.
musa splendida
Left to right: plantains, red bananas, latundan, and Cavendish bananas
References
- ↑ GRIN (2009-02-19). "Genus: Musa L." Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2011-02-06.