Musaceae

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Musaceae

Musaceae (pronounced: mew-suh-see-ee) is a family of flowering plants native to the tropics of Africa and Asia. The family is known for its economically important fruit crops, such as bananas and plantains.

Etymology

The name Musaceae is derived from the Latin Musa, which is named after Antonius Musa, physician to the Emperor Augustus.

Description

Plants in the Musaceae family are large, herbaceous perennials with a rhizomatous root system. The leaves are large and arranged in a spiral pattern. The flowers are produced in a large, hanging inflorescence. The fruit is a berry, often elongated and slightly curved, with soft, sweet flesh when ripe.

Genera

The Musaceae family includes three genera: Musa, Ensete, and Balbisiana.

  • Musa is the most well-known genus, including the species that produce bananas and plantains.
  • Ensete is a genus of monocarpic plants native to Africa, known for their edible starchy corms.
  • Balbisiana is a wild species native to eastern South Asia, recognized for its role in the genetic ancestry of many cultivated bananas.

Economic Importance

The Musaceae family is of significant economic importance, particularly the genus Musa, which includes the cultivated bananas and plantains. These crops are staple foods in many tropical regions and are also a major export product for several countries.

Related Terms

  • Monocarpic: A term describing plants that flower, set seeds, and then die.
  • Rhizome: A modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes.
  • Inflorescence: The complete flower head of a plant including stems, stalks, bracts, and flowers.

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski