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Musa × paradisiaca

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Zingiberales Family: Musaceae Genus: Musa

banana, mai‘a, maia

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Extremely polymorphic herbs 2–10 m tall, sap clear.

Stems: Pseudostems variously colored, 1–6 m long, 15–40 cm in diameter at base.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades 100–400 cm long, 30–80 cm wide. Base with a course basal sheath, sheathing bases closely overlapping and appressed to each other, forming an erect, herbaceous pseudostem from which the petioles depart at the summit (Pseudo)petioles 30–100 cm long. Surfaces glaucous. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences divergent to pendent, fruiting axis curved, 80–250 cm long, 4–8 cm in diameter. Flowers irregular, functionally unisexual, those subtended by the lower bracts pistillate, those subtended by the upper bracts staminate. Pistillate flowers few to ca. 20, 5–9 cm long, inflated, producing thick, jelly-like nectar. Staminate flowers numerous, 3-6 cm long, narrow, compactly arranged beneath leathery, red to purple bracts. Tepals 6, in 2 series, petaloid, upper 5 connate into a tubular structure, adaxial tepal distinct. Staminate flowers numerous, 3–6 cm long, narrow, compactly arranged beneath leathery, red to purple bracts. Stamens 5 with 1 reduced staminode; filaments slender, distinct; anthers linear, dithecal. Ovary inferior (pistillate flowers), 3-celled.

Fruit: Fruit variable in size; shape; and color; elongate–cylindrical; straight to strongly curved; 3–40 cm long; 2–8 cm in diameter; apex tapered; rounded or blunt; skin thin and tender to tough and leathery; yellow; green; or red; flesh starchy to sweet; white; yellowish; or orange. Seeds typically absent or vestigial.

Ploidy: 2n = 10–14 (irregular); 16; 22–24; 32–35; 44; 48; 55; 77; 88

Habitat: Persisting after cultivation and sparingly naturalized by vegetative reproduction in mesic to wet valleys and wet forest.

Elevation Range: 0–920 m.

Historical Distribution

Synonyms (151)

Karkandela × malabarica Raf. (1838)
Musa acuminata × Musa balbisiana
Musa balbisiana var. vittata (W.Ackm. ex Rodigas) M.R.Almeida (2009)
Musa ornata var. normalis Kuntze
Musa paradisiaca L. (1753)
Musa sapientum
Musa × acutibracteata M.Hotta (1964)
Musa × alphurica Miq. (1859)
Musa × aphurica Rumph. ex Sagot (1887)
Musa × arakanensis F.W.Ripley ex Blechynden (1856)
Musa × bacoba Rottb. (1776)
Musa × berteroi Colla (1820)
Musa × bidigitalis De Wild. (1920)
Musa × carolinae Sterler (1821)
Musa × champa Baker (1892)
Musa × chapara Perr. (1825)
Musa × chiliocarpa Backer ex K.Heyne (1922)
Musa × consociata Nakai (1948)
Musa × corbieri A.Chev. (1934)
Musa × corniculata Lour. (1790)
Musa × dacca Horan. (1862)
Musa × decrescens De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × decrescens var. pembuki De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × decrescens var. rubromaculata De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × decrescens var. viridis De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × discolor Planch. (1858)
Musa × dulcissima Nakai (1948)
Musa × emasculata De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × emasculata var. kiala De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × emasculata var. kimbende De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × emasculata var. lomba De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × emasculata var. zengani De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × humilis Perr. (1825)
Musa × ingrata Nakai (1948)
Musa × jaheri Nakai (1948)
Musa × maculata Jacq. (1804)
Musa × megalocarpa Nakai (1948)
Musa × mensaria Moench (1794)
Musa × mirabilis Nakai (1948)
Musa × nigra Perr. (1825)
Musa × odorata Lour. (1790)
Musa × oleracea Vieill. (1862)
Musa × pallida Nakai (1948)
Musa × paradisiaca f. dongila De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca f. funu-nua De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca f. kilola De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca f. seluka De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca f. tuba De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca subsp. normalis Kuntze (1891)
Musa × paradisiaca subsp. sapientum (L.) Kuntze (1891)
Musa × paradisiaca var. acicularis G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. bende De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca var. bilul De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca var. champa (Baker) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. cinerea Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. coarctata G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. compressa Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. coriacea G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. corniculata G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. dacca (Horan.) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. exsicca G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. fatua G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. glaberrima Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. glauca Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. kitebbe De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca var. lacatan Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. longa Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. lunaris G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. magna Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. martabarica (Baker) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. maxima Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. mensaria G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. odorata (Lour.) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. oleracea (Vieill.) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. papillosa G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. punctata G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. purpurascens G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. regia G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. rubra (Firminger ex Baker) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. sanguinea (Welw. ex Baker) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. suaveolens Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. subrubea Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. ternatensis Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. tetragona G.Forst. (1786)
Musa × paradisiaca var. tombak Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. ulnaris Blanco (1837)
Musa × paradisiaca var. violacea (Baker) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × paradisiaca var. viridis De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × paradisiaca var. vittata (G.W.Ackermann ex Rodigas) K.Schum. (1900)
Musa × polycarpa Nakai (1948)
Musa × prematura Nakai (1948)
Musa × protractorachis De Wild. (1920)
Musa × purpureotomentosa De Wild. (1920)
Musa × sapidisiaca K.C.Jacob (1952)
Musa × sapientum L. (1759)
Musa × sapientum f. dubia King (1893)
Musa × sapientum subsp. paradisiaca (L.) Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. americana N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. angao Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. baca Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. binutig N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. canara N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. canaya Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. champa (Baker) Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. cinerea (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. compressa (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. cubensis N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. dacca (Horan.) Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. daryao N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. dinalaga Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. dool Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. dubia (King) A.M.Cowan & Cowan (1929)
Musa × sapientum var. eda Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. fieleto De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × sapientum var. flabellata Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. galatayan Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. garangao N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. glaberrima (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. glauca (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. grandis N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. humilis Merr. (1922)
Musa × sapientum var. inarnibal N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. kinamay Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. lacatan (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. longa (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. martabarica Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. mensaria Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. odorata (Lour.) Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. oleracea Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. padilat Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. pamotion Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. paradisiaca (L.) Baker (1894)
Musa × sapientum var. pelipia Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. principe Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. putian Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. raines Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. regia (G.Forst.) Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. rubra Firminger ex Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. sanguinea Welw. ex Baker (1893)
Musa × sapientum var. sarocsoc Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. satama De Briey ex De Wild. (1920)
Musa × sapientum var. sision Quisumb. (1919)
Musa × sapientum var. suaveolens (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. ternatensis (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. tombak (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. tudlong N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. tuldoc N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. violacea (Blanco) N.G.Teodoro (1915)
Musa × sapientum var. vittata (W.Ackm. ex Rodigas) Hook.f. (1863)
Musa × trichocarpa Nakai (1948)
Musa × vittata W.Ackm. ex Rodigas (1862)

Uses and Culture

USES

  • Dye made from sap

  • Nearly 20 varieties exist today falling into three major groups: maoli, popo'ulu and iholena. Mai‘a were not cultivated on a large scale. They were offered in the heiau and other houses of the gods. Three specific varieties were available for women to eat (popo'ulu, iholena and kaualau), the rest were forbidden (kapu). Certain varieties (polapola) steamed in an imu and pounded to make a type of poi. Used on hula altars (kuahu), the stalk symbolized a man. Stalks used to line the imu, as canoe rollers or used as a poultice. Fibers of leaves used in lei making. Sap used as a dye, and nectar from flowers used to feed babies. Understood as a kinolau or bodyform of the god Kanaloa, thus a set of kapu surrounded mai'a plants (see Abbott 1992:37–39, Handy et al. 1972:155–167). Leaf sheath beaten for kapa or used for sandals but both of poor quality (Lucas 1982: 18).

  • There are numerous varieties of mai‘a (banana, Musa spp.) that have medicinal uses. These include the use of dried leaves, which are burnt and eaten with poi for intense heart burn. Also, this and hou nui o ke kino (profuse sweating) are treated with palaholo mai‘a, hau ke‘ake‘a bark, Palolo and ‘alaea clays, kōkea, kikawaioa leaf shoots (Christella cyatheoidea); this medicine is used in conjunction with ko‘oko‘olau and moa nahele tea. Forms of ‘ea, pa‘ao‘ao, pala, and ‘ukihi are treated with a medicine made of the sap of the flowers and pohuli (root sucker), mixed with sap from green kukui fruits (Aleurites moluccana) and he‘i (papaya, Carica papaya). Another variety of mai‘a is used to treat ‘ea and pa‘ao‘ao, this medicine uses the immature flowers and sheath, with ‘alaea clay, ‘ana (sponge, Leiodermatium spp.), and green kukui fruit. For treatment of lepo pa‘a (constipation), the fruit is combined with the fruits, flowers and flower leaf buds of kukui, the sap of hau ke‘ake‘a (Hibiscus tiliaceus), and ‘ohi‘a ‘ai bark (Syzygium malaccense), and kōkea (white sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum). This is cooked, strained, and drunk in conjunction with ko‘oko‘olau tea (Bidens spp.) and broiled koali leaf buds (Ipomoea spp.). For some types of kohepopo, ripe buds are combined with ‘uala huamoa (sweet potato variety, Ipomoea batatas), noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia), niu (coconut, Cocos nucifera), ko, and ‘alaea clay. Koali and ko‘oko‘olau tea with moa (Psilotum nudum) follow the treatment. Another variation for the treatment of kohepopo uses the sucker roots of the mai‘a with the bark of ‘uhaloa roots (Waltheria indica), ‘ohi‘a ‘ai and kukui bark, kohekohe (Eleocharis spp.), pōpolo (Solanum americanum), and kōkea. For bruises linked to ancestors, immature flowers are mixed with pōpolo, squid ink sack, and ‘alaea clay; again followed with koali and ko‘oko‘olau tea with moa. For anal itching associated with pinworms mai‘a fruit, koali vines, ‘uala mohihi, noni fruit, hau ke‘ake‘a and ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai bark, and ‘alaea clay and combined, strained and drunk. For forms of nae (shortness of breath) dried leaf ash and sap are used in conjunction with ‘ihi makole buds (Oxalis spp.), noni fruit, ‘ōhi‘a ‘ai bark, kukui endosperm and flowers, niu fruit, ‘ala‘alawainui pehu stems (Peperomia spp.), ‘alaea clay, and kōkea.The medicine is taken is combination with lu‘au, poi, and fish and a purgative tea of ko‘oko‘olau and moa nahele (Chun 1994:200–210).

CULTURE

  • Planted by Kane and Kanaloa (Abbott 1992:37). [I] "Legend of the Mu People" [II] Mu are the banana-eating people of Kuaihelani [III] Paao brings the Manahunenukumuaimaia, big mouthed Menehune banana eaters to Hawaii [IV] Muaimaia aborigines of Kauai that lived in Laau and believed to haunt area (Beckwith 1940:326). "No ka ea Maia a Kahuoi- The Banana Field of Kahuoi" (Fornander [v.5 part iii] 1919:600). "Legend of Hoamakeikekula". Hoamakeikekula's skin compared to that of the young banana shoot which is the ideal flesh condition to the Hawaiian mind, being smooth and firm (Fornander [v.4 part iii] 1917:532).

  • Kinolau of Kanaloa

Natural History

Statewide Status

Only found in cultivation

Island Status

Kaua'i Only found in cultivation
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Molokai Only found in cultivation
Lana'i Unknown
Maui Only found in cultivation
Hawai'i Only found in cultivation

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 1043 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1465 (K, O, Mo, L, M, H [plants sterile triploids, widely planted across landscape and reproducing vegetatively]) Staples & Herbst 2005:707 (KEY [as Musa acuminata × M. balbisiana]), 708 (DESCR)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Musa × paradisiaca along Wailuku River Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. Maui BISH 1926-11-01
2 Musa × paradisiaca Waianae Preserved_Specimen Zschokke, T.C. 302713 Oahu BISH 1926-12-01
3 Musa × paradisiaca Kauai Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302725 Kauai BISH 1927-02-01
4 Musa × paradisiaca Lihue, Sam'l Wilcox place Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302736 Kauai BISH 1927-02-01
5 Musa × paradisiaca Along Wailuku River Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302718 Maui BISH 1927-01-01
6 Musa × paradisiaca Back of Tantalus Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302721 Oahu BISH 1926-12-23
7 Musa × paradisiaca Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Jones, S. 1258 Oahu BISH 1925-09-01
8 Musa × paradisiaca Kahana Valley Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302732 Oahu BISH 1926-12-29
9 Musa × paradisiaca Waioli Valley Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302716 Kauai BISH 1927-02-01
10 Musa × paradisiaca Manoa Valley Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302720 Oahu BISH 1926-10-15
11 Musa × paradisiaca Waiahole moist valley; grows up to nearly 3000 ft Preserved_Specimen Fruit: yellow skin, pink flesh Stokes, J.F.G. 1264 Oahu BISH 1923-07-27
12 Musa × paradisiaca Honolii and Wailuku rivers common Preserved_Specimen MacDaniels, L.H. 302712 Maui BISH 1936-01-01
13 Musa × paradisiaca Kalaupapa; Bayview maintained Preserved_Specimen large, herbaceous Wysong, M.L. 789 Molokai BISH 2005-08-15
14 Musa × paradisiaca Kohala A common type in big gulch. Preserved_Specimen Plant green, very little color; no red in fls. MacDaniels, L.H. 302723 Hawaii BISH
15 Musa × paradisiaca Kona Preserved_Specimen Popoulu banana with gelatinous nectar. Jonas, J. 10 Hawaii BISH 1926-11-01
16 Musa × paradisiaca Kohala rainforest Preserved_Specimen stocky trunk, bright green faintly tinged with pink; good sized bunch McDaniels 5 Hawaii BISH 1927-01-01
17 Musa × paradisiaca Hawaii Preserved_Specimen Very thick, firm rind. Bryan, L.W. 11302715 Hawaii BISH 1926-11-01
18 Musa × paradisiaca Hilo HUMAN_OBSERVATION Friday, J.B. Hawaii 9/8/2019
19 Musa × paradisiaca Manoa HUMAN_OBSERVATION Friday, J.B. Oahu 12/18/2014
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