Musaceae, the banana family of plants (order Zingiberales), consisting of 2 genera, Musa and Ensete, with about 50 species native to Africa, Asia, and Australia. The common banana (M. sapientum) is a subspecies of the plantain (M. paradisiaca). Both are important food plants.
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The slender or conical false trunk of Musaceae herbs may rise to 15 metres (50 feet). The “trunk” is formed by the leaf sheaths of the spirally arranged leaves, which form a crown at the top. The large leaves may be up to three metres long and half a metre wide. The prominent midrib of the leaf is joined at right or slightly oblique angles with parallel veins. When the plant grows in an unsheltered place, wind and rain easily tear the leaves between the veins, giving the leaves a fringed or ragged appearance. The large, leathery bracts (leaflike structures) are red to purple. The yellow flowers have five fertile stamens and are rich in nectar.
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