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Musa elephantorum
Musa elephantorum K. M. Schumann & O. Warburg ex K. M. Schumann, In:
A.
Engler et al (eds.) Das Pflanzenreich. Engelmann, Leipzig, 1900 - . 4, 45 :
14. (1912).
Accepted name |
none - rejected based on type being reduced to nomen
dubium. |
Synonyms |
Ensete elephantorum (K.
M. Schumann & O. Warburg) E. E. Cheesman, Kew Bulletin 2 (2): 102 (1947). |
Authorities |
The authorities for rejecting the name are Baker &
Simmonds 1953 as corrected (please see link below) and Koechelin 1965. |
Section |
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Distribution |
Cameroon (Mt. Febeu, near Yaounde). |
Description |
"Tepalum
liberum integrum, apiculatum vel cuspidatum; inflorescentia erecta, semina parva
subglobosa" (Schumann
1912).
"Trunk
24 ft. long, leafy from base upwards. Leaves 7 - 9 ft. long. 2½ ft. broad.
Inflorescence erect. Perianth entire, to 2 in. long ; free petal nearly ¾ in. long,
apiculate or cuspidate. Seeds small, somewhat globose."
(Fawcett 1913). |
References |
Baker & Simmonds 1953 : 409, Champion 1967: 40, Cheesman
1947a 102, Fawcett 1913: 276-277, Koechlin 1965 : 12, Schumann
1912. |
Comments |
This was one of a number of African Musa
transferrred to Ensete by Cheesman in his 1947 paper reviving the genus Ensete.
It is now recognised that there are no wild Musa native to Africa, only Ensete.
However, Baker & Simmonds consider that the name must be rejected as nomen
dubium. They point out that the determination of Musa elephantorum
was based on a poor description and the type specimen in the Berlin Herbarium was
destroyed in WWII preventing modern assessment. Based on recollection of material from the type locality in
Cameroon Koechlin speculates that the type might actually be attributable to E.
gilletii although he too treats it as nomen dubium. "Malgré la récolte de matériel recent dans la localité-type de M.
elephantorum K. Schum. et Warb., matériel qui, si l'on suit la révision de Baker et
Simmonds, est tout a fait conspécifique de E. gilletii, un doute subsiste sur
l'identité exacte de M. elephantorum: le type (Zenker s.n., Yaunde Station, Berg
Boukollo im Grasfelde an Abhaengen, B) est detruit, et la description, très insuffisante,
fait état de caractères surprenantes (inflorescence dressée). Nous considerons
donc, comme Baker et Simmonds, ce nom (prioritaire sur M. gilletii, mais
lui-même précéde de deux synonymes possibles, plus anciens mais également douteux),
comme nomen dubium."
The erect inflorescence must have been due to some
environmental stress, it is not a typical characterisitic of any Ensete.
If the type had been properly described the combination Ensete elephantorum might
have had priority over Ensete gilletii although Ensete religiosum might
also have had a claim. |
Compiled partly with information from Gerda Rossel
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