| Lessard says 'Koa'e' ('Aea'e') is the same as 'Vittata' and
is derived from or at least sometimes reverts to the cultivar 'Popoulu' (or to 'Maia
maoli' according to Stover & Simmonds). This is one of a number of variegated Musa.
Others include:
Musa basjoo 'Variegata'
Musa (AAA group) 'Dwarf Cavendish' several un-named clones
Musa (AAB group) 'Aea'e' = Musa (AAB group) 'Koa'e'
Musa (AAB group) 'Vittata'
Musa (AAB group) 'Banane panachee'
Musa (AAB group) 'Anil Vazhai' or 'Variegated French Plantain'
Variegated
bananas are rather unstable sectoral chimeras. This
instability prevents them being micropropagated very easily so they tend to be propagated
conventionally and therefore rather slowly. Coupled with their desirability as
ornamentals, they are thus not readily obtained compared to non-variegated types.
Variegated plants arise occasionally as 'sports' during micropropagation but such plants
often 'grow out' of the variegation. |