Musa basjoo var formosana

Musa basjoo P. F. (B.) von Siebold ex Y. Iinuma et J. G. Baker var. formosana ((O. Warburg ex K. M. Schumann) B. Hayata) S. S. Ying, Mem. Coll. Agric. Nation. Taiwan Univ., 25 (2) : 100 (1985).

Accepted name	Musa basjoo P. F. (B.) von Siebold ex Y. Iinuma et J. G. Baker var. formosana ((O. Warburg ex K. M. Schumann) B. Hayata) S. S. Ying, Mem. Coll. Agric. Nation. Taiwan Univ., 25 (2) : 100 (1985).
Synonyms	1. Musa paradisiaca L. var. formosana (O. Warburg. ex K. M. Schumann in A. Engler et al (eds.) Das Pflanzenreich. Engelmann, Leipzig, 1900 - . 4, 45 : 21 (1912). 2. Musa formosana (O. Warburg ex K. M. Schumann) B. Hayata, Icones plantarum formosanarum nec non et contributiones ad floram formosanam. (Icon. Pl. Formosan., Suppl.) : 83 (1917)
Authorities	Ying 1985
Section	Eumusa (Musa) 1
Distribution	Taiwan.
Description	"Pseudostem 2.5 m or taller. Leaves 1 - 1.5 [m] long, 50 - 80 cm wide, entire, midrib usually prominent ; often tearing between pinnate veins ; upper surface lustrous green, and slightly glaucous beneath ; glabrous on both surfaces. Inflorescence pendent, 55 - 90 cm long ; rachis robust, glabrous, greenish ; bracts spathe-like, ovate, concave, 30 - 45 cm long, 10 - 18 cm wide, purplish-red, glabrous on both surfaces ; flowers many per bract, pale yellow ; free tepal oblong, half as long as fused petals ; perianth usually 4-lobed ; stamens 5, staminode one ; ovary inferior, cylindrical, 2 - 3 cm long, glabrous. Fruit fusiform, 4 - 7 cm long, 2 - 3.5 cm in diam., purplish red when mature ; fruiting pedicel 1.5 - 2 cm long, greenish, glabrous". (Ying).
References	Cheesman 1948e, Index Kewensis (via IPNI), Ying 1985.
Comments	The most obvious difference between this and M. basjoo would appear to be the purplish-red bracts. I am not so sure. The photographs of Musa basjoo var. formosana show essentially yellow bracts but with some brownish staining. This brownish colouration is seen in M. basjoo also as was mentioned by Cheesman 1948. Images: See M. formosana images.