Musa insularimontana

Musa insularimontana
B. Hayata,
Icones plantarum formosanarum nec non et contributiones ad floram formosanam. (Icon. Pl. Formosan.) 3 : 194 (1913).

Accepted name Musa insularimontana B. Hayata, Icones plantarum formosanarum nec non et contributiones ad floram formosanam. (Icon. Pl. Formosan.) 3 : 194 (1913).
Synonyms Musa textilis var. tashiroi B. Hayata, Icones plantarum formosanarum nec non et contributiones ad floram formosanam. (Icon. Pl. Formosan.) 3 : 194 (1913).
Authorities Ying.
Section Australimusa
Distribution Taiwan. 

Endemic, primary forests known only from Lanyu Isl. only, rather rare.
(Ying).
Description Pseudostem subcylindrical, 2.5 m or taller, tufted.  Inflorescence slightly curved and pendulous ; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 7 - 8 cm long, 3 - 3.5 cm wide, strongly concave, dark purplish red ; flowers 8 per bract, arranged in 2 series, sessile.  Male flowers : perianth cylindrical, 3 - 3.5 cm long, 5-lobed (3 lobes in outer row, 2 lobes in inner row) ; lobes of outer row : lateral ones oblong-triangular, 5 - 5.5 mm long, ca. 4 mm wide, obtuse, entire ; central one ovate, 3.5 mm long and wide, obtuse, base cordate or auriculate ; posterior lobe of inner row always free, elliptic-obovate, 1.5 - 2 cm long, ca. 1 cm wide, truncate or emarginate, and shortly cuspidate at apex ; stamens 5, equalling perianth or shorter ; filaments green, filiform, ca. 1 cm long ; anthers linear, connective slightly elongate, style column filiform, equalling stamens apex, clavate.  Female flowers unknown.  Rachis terete, 3 cm in diam., densely pubescent.  Immature fruits obliquely tetragonal, stipulate ; fruiting stalk densely pubescent.

(Ying).

References Index Kewensis, Mobot Tropicos, Ying .
Comments Although poorly known, Musa insularimontana is obviously very close to Musa textilis L. Née and is perhaps vulnerable to reduction.


 


last revision 23 April 2003