Ensete lasiocarpum

Ensete lasiocarpum
(A. R. Franchet, in Morot, Journ. de Bot. 3: 329 (1889) and J. G. Baker, Ann. Bot. 7: 208 (1893)) E. E. Cheesman, Kew Bulletin 2 (2): 102 (1947).

Accepted name Musella lasiocarpa (A. R. Franchet) C. Y. Wu ex H. W. Li, Acta Phytotax. Sinica 16 (3): 56 (1978).
Synonyms Musa lasiocarpa A. R. Franchet, in Morot, Journ. de Bot. 3: 329 (1889) and J. G. Baker, Ann. Bot. 7: 208 (1893).
Authorities The accepted name is from Li 1978.

Icon. Corm. Sinicorum accepts Ensete lasiocarpum (A. R. Franchet) E. E. Cheesman as the accepted name.

The synonym is from Simmonds 1960 who accepts Musa lasiocarpa A. R. Franchet as the accepted name. 

Distribution China (Yunnan & Guizhou) up to 2,500 m, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma).
Description See Musa lasiocarpa for a description.
References Cheesman 1947a: 102, Franchet 1889, GRIN, Icon. Corm. Sinicorum, ING database, Lancaster 1989, Li 1978: 56-57, Mobot FoC, Mobot Tropicos, Simmonds 1960: 207-208.
Comments "This extremely interesting species needs much further study.   Baker referred it to Eumusa, presumably because it is described as having a rhizome, for it has scarcely any other character of Eumusa.  Franchet wrote in his notes with the original description : "Sa végétation souterraine, autant qu'on peut juger par les spécimens envoyés à l'herbier du Muséum, consiste-en un gros rhizome de 0 m. 05 à 0 m. 07 de diamètre qui parait se déveloper horizontalement, sans qu'on puisse dire encore si la plante est monocarpienne et si elle reproduit, ou non, par rejet".

I have examined herbarium material at Kew which must be the original collection by Delavay.  The flower appears to be borne on a fleshy cone unique among the Musaceae, but morphologically this is only the axis of the inflorescence unusually developed.  Franchet proposed for this species a new section of Musa, to be called Musella, and it may on further study be found to represent a distinct genus ; but I should not be prepared to separate it, on the exisiting material alone, from Ensete, with which it has close affinity.   Whatever it may be it is certainly not a Musa, sensu strictiore."

(Cheesman 1947a).


 


last revision 18 February 2003