This species is composed of many varieties of edible fruits called bananas and plantains. The species name was given in honor of Antonio Musa who was the physician to Octavius Augustus, the first Roman Emperor. The trunk is formed by the sheathing bases of the long, broad leaves. These tropical plants have been cultivated for more than 2000 years and have been an important food crop throughout human history. SCU Home Page Back to Map Botanical Description Banana trees are monocots, producing multiple stems that are clustered together at the base.
Banana plants are monoecious, producing separate male and female flowers in spike-like clusters.
Each pendulous inflorescence is surrounded by a single large purple bract. Male flowers occur in the upper clusters, while the female flowers are located in the lower terminal portion of the inflorescence. Plants flower once every 8-14 months. The fruit is a parthenocarpic berry which is large, fleshy and cylindrical with abruptly tampering ends. Since the banana fruit is seedless, the plant is propagated by cuttings of the rhizome.