Musa speciosa

Musa speciosa M. Tenore, Index Seminum Horto Bot. Neapol. 16 (1829).

Accepted name Musa ornata W. Roxburgh, Hortus Bengalensis, 19 (1814) and Flora Indica 2: 488 (1824).
Synonyms  
Authorities Cheesman 1949h.

The World Checklist of Monocotyledons lists Musa speciosa Ten., Index Seminum (NAP) 1829: 16 (1829) as a synonym of Musa ornata Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 488 (1824) which is given as an accepted name.

Section Rhodochlamys (probably)
Distribution  
Description Height 1 metre or a little more; leaves 1 m. long, 30 cm. wide; inflorescence erect; bracts reddish-lilac, very persistent; fertile flowers few; fruit oval-oblong, 6 cm. long, yellowish, not pulpy; seeds black, rounded, depressed, muricate.

[from Cheesman citing Sagot 1887a]
References Baker 1893: 219, Champion 1967: 43, Cheesman 1949h, Index Kewensis, Sagot 1887a, Sagot 1887b : 330, Tenore 1829.
Comments I have not seen Tenore or Sagot 1887a (Sagot 1887b merely lists the name M. speciosa) so what information I have comes from Cheesman'd discussion of Musa ornata (Cheesman 1949h).

Cheesman notes that J. G. Baker gives as a synonym for M. ornata, M. speciosa Tenore. In fact, Baker gives them both as synonyms for M. rosacea Jacq. Cheesman says he did not check Bakers reasoning but notes that Sagot did not regard the two as synonymous and "must have had a good reason for regarding M. speciosa as distinct".

Index Kewensis gives Musa speciosa as a synonym of Musa rosacea which is Musa ornata.

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last updated 02/05/2008