Baker and Simmonds 1953

Baker, R. E. D. and Simmonds, N. W., (1953). The Genus Ensete in Africa. Kew Bulletin 8 (3): 405 - 416 (1953).

In the original paper cited above Ensete edule was established as the principal African Ensete with a number of Cheesman's Ensete species, including Ensete ventricosum, being reduced to synonymy under it.  After publication it was realised that the name Ensete ventricosum took priority over Ensete edule by three years.  The type of Ensete ventricosum, Musa ventricosa, was published by Welwitsch in 1859 whereas Ensete edule, despite being the prototype Ensete, was published by Horaninow only in 1862.  A substantial correction appeared in the next issue of Kew Bulletin which established Ensete ventricosum as the principal Ensete of Africa.

It is therefore crucial to read this paper only in association with the correction published in Kew Bulletin 8 (4): 574 (1953).   The text of that correction is as follows:

A CORRECTION

Kew Bulletin No. 3, 1953, page 405.

Delete three paras starting "1. Ensete edule ..." and ending "8 - 10 ft. high." and replace by the following:-

1. Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) E. E. Cheesman in Kew Bull. 1947, 101 (1947). [sic]

Musa ensete Gmel. Syst. Nat. ed. 13, 2 (1791), 567; Baker in Ann. Bot. 7 (1893), 205.   Type: from Abyssinia, description and plates in Bruce, Travels in Egypt, Arabia, Abyssinia and Nubia 5, (1790), 36 - 41.

Musa ventricosa Welwitsch Apont. (1859) 545 & 587, no. 45; Baker in Ann. Bot. 7 (1893) 206.  Type: Welwitsch no. 6447, Pungo Andongo, Angola, 1857- "species ab omnibus mihi hujus generis cognitis caule basi bulboso-inflato et bracteis etiam sub statu fructifero persistentibus etc. distincta", in Herb. Kew.  In Herb. Mus. Brit. are male flowers (with two additional lobes on the outer tepals, as in our Uganda material) bearing the same number and date and the note "Stem swollen above the ground, 8 - 10 ft. high."

Ensete edule Horan. Prodr. Scitam. (1862), 40. Type: as Musa ensete Gmel.

Throughout the paper, for Ensete edule read Ensete ventricosum and for E. edule read E. ventricosum, namely p.405, line 44; p. 407, lines 14, 47, 51; p. 408, lines 1, 30, 38, 48, 49; p. 409, line 27; p. 410, lines 15, 26, 28, 32, 34, 35; p. 414, lines 9, 46; p. 416, lines 4, 38, 49.

last revision 05 November 2002