Wild ornamental Bananas in India: an overview

South Indian Journal Of Biological Sciences 2016; 2(1); 213‐221 ONLINE ISSN: 2454‐4787 Review Article Wild ornamental Bananas in India: an overview Alfred Joe 1,*, Mamiyil Sabu1 1 Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Kerala – 673 635, India * Corresponding author: Alfred Joe; E‐mail: [email protected] Received 21 July 2015; Revised 20 September 2015; Accepted 12 September 2015; Published 2 January 2016 Abstract India is considered as the centre of origin of bananas, both wild and cultivated. During the revision of the family Musaceae, as much of the specimens were collected from all over India and conserved in Calicut University Botanical Garden (CUBG), of which most of them are with high ornamental potential. This paper focuses mainly on such species which can be introduced into gardens because of its ornamental value. Ensete glaucum, E. superbum, Musa arunachalensis, M. aurantiaca, M. chunii, M. laterita, M. mannii, M. markkui, M. ornate, M. rubra, M. sanguinea, M. velutina, M. velutina subsp. markkuana and M. velutina var. variegate are some of the ornamental bananas that are common in use and also can introduce into gardens. The ornamental value and the characters that raised that value of each taxa are also materialized here. Keywords: Ornamental bananas, India, Northeastern India 1. Introduction Musaceae are the most ancient family in the order Zingiberales with three genera, Musa L., Ensete Bruce ex Horan. and Musella (Franch.) H.W.Li. Musaceae comprise of world’s largest herbs (M. ingens N.W.Simmonds, upto 15 m hieght). Musaceae are mainly distributed in Africa and from South and South‐East Asia to northern Australia (Chiu et al., 2011). The centres of distribution of Musaceae are not only in South and SE Asia, but also seen in African countries. The greatest concentration of the genera and species are in India, China, Malaysia and Myanmar regions, which strengthen the view that their birth place is in these areas. The family Musaceae includes banana which is by far the most economically important family in the order Zingiberales. However, other families in the order also have species of interest, which include a number of important spices and ornamentals (eg: Elettaria cardamomum Maton, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Etlingera elatior (Jack) R.M.Sm. (torch ginger), Alpinia purpurata (Vieill) K.Schum. (red ginger), Hedychium Koenig spp. (butterfly lilies), Curcuma L. spp. (hidden gingers) etc.). Banana is a staple food in many countries (India, Philippines, Indonesia and in many African countries). It is one of the most important and oldest food crops of humankind with evidence of cultivation dating to 4000 BC in New Guinea (Denham et al., 2003, 2004). India holds the number one position in the production of banana (15% of total production). Many members of this group have been used in Ayurvedic and other native systems of medicine from time immemorial. The family also includes many valuable 213 ornamentals (Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) Cheesman, E. superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman, Musa velutina H.Wendl. & Drude, M. ornata Roxb., Musella lasiocarpa (Franch.) H.W.Li etc.). But there are still several species which were unaware of its ornamental value. India is well known for its vast genetic diversity of members of Musaceae comprising seeded wild species to seedless cultivars with various ploidy levels. In India, wild Musa spp. are largely distributed in North‐Eastern States, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The cultivated bananas have attracted a good deal of research in many countries over many years as they have great economic importance in agriculture. The wild relatives, however, with high ornamental potential have received less attention as they are difficult to access and people are unaware of it. Most of forest areas of India with wild bananas having ornamental value remain unexplored. As part of the revision of Indian Musaceae, the authors made intensive collections throughout India during the last five years and brought out several taxa new to science and to Indian flora. M. velutina subsp. markkuana Sabu et al. (2013a), M. sabuana Prasad et al. (2013), M. velutina var. variegata Joe et al. (2014a), M. arunachalensis A.Joe et al. (Sreejith et al. 2013), M. cylindrica Joe et al. (2014c) and M. balbisiana var. elavazhai Joe et al. (2014f) are some of the new discoveries. Sabu et al. (2013b) and Joe et al. (2013a) recorded the occurrence of M. chunii Häkkinen and M. laterita Cheesman respectively from India. Joe et al. (2013b, 2013c, 2014b, 2014d, 2014e) also made some rediscoveries viz. M. cheesmanii N.W.Simmonds, M. flaviflora N.W.Simmonds, M. mannii H.Wendl. ex Baker, M. nagensium Prain, M. ochracea K.Sheph. and M. thomsonii (King ex Baker) A.M.Cowan & Cowan after a lapse of 50–125 years. Most of them are with high ornamental value. The genus Musa was divided into different sections or subgenera by several taxonomists, viz. Physocaulis, Eumusa and Rhodoclamys (Baker 1893). But the most accepted classification is that of Cheesman (1947), which includes four sections: Australimusa (2n=20), Callimusa (2n=20), Musa (Eumusa) (2n=22) and Rhodochlamys (2n=22) based on chromosome number and morphological characters (Shepherd 1999; Hakkinen 2005; Hakkinen 2007; Hakkinen et al. 2007; Hakkinen andVare 2008; Uma et al. 2006). A fifth section viz. Ingentimusa, was established by Argent (1976) based on Simmonds’ (1960) species from Papua New Guinea, M. ingens (Simmonds 1960) with a chromosome number 2n=2x=14. Of these four section Rhodochlamys is characterized by having erect or drooping inflorescence with fruit pointing towards the bunch apex. Most of the species also typically have relatively few fruits and are best known for their brightly coloured bracts, a feature that makes them popular as ornamental plants’ (Cheesman 1947; Simmonds 1962; Shepherd 1999; Hakkinen and Sharrock 2002). Because of its attractive bracts, it can also be introduced in gardens. Recently, based on DNA analyses and other molecular data, Hakkinen (2013) restructured Musa species and merged sect. Rhodochlamys with sect. Musa. The species having the characters of the earlier sections are still with high demand in Western Markets as ornamentals and, as they are of small size they can used as pot plants. Not only the genus Musa but also the genus Ensete contribute to the ornamental part of the family Musaceae. E. glaucum (Roxb.) Cheesman and E. superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman are the main ornamental taxa that are cultivated as ornamental bananas in India. But, there are some reports about E. ventricosum that are grown in some gardens in Kodaikanal area of Tamil Nadu, which is not a native of India. Some more exotic species of Musa are also cultivated in India. This paper focuses on such kind of wild bananas with ornamental potential from India, which are in use as ornamental and can be introduced successfully into the home gardens and nurseries. 1. Ensete glaucum (Roxb.) Cheesman, Kew Bull. 2(2): 101. 1947 E. glaucum is a plant with great ornamental potential because of its conical stem and green mostly persistent bracts. It is cultivated as ornamental in most of the Northeastern states. The species also have medicinal properties. It is widespread in South and South‐East Asian countries. E. glaucum are commonly seen in wild, in open places near dry deciduous forest margins and in grass lands of 214 Northeastern States of India. It occasionally grows near small streams or river banks, and also in moist soils. During dry season, the plants are in a dormant stage without any leaves. This taxon flowers within one or two years if the water and manure in the soil is sufficient. But sometimes it takes more than five years to flower in such soil with fewer fertilizers and less moisture. In the non‐flowering condition also, the conical pseudostem and the greenish‐yellow pointed leaves give much attraction to this species. It propagates only through seeds. It produces more than 100 seeds from one plant. The specific epithet ‘glaucum’ derived from the powdery appearance of the pseudostem makes it more beautiful. This taxon is less known in the horticultural markets of South India. It is suitable to grow in South Indian soil with moisture and hence, can be introduced successfully as an ornamental in gardens. 2. Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman, Kew Bull. 2(2): 100. 1947 Vernacular Names: Malayalam: Kalluvazha, Malavazha; Tamil: Kallu vazhai; Kannada: Kallu bale, Kalbale; English: Cliff banana, rock banana. The specific epithet itself pointed the ‘superb’ nature of the plant that made it a favorable piece to plant lovers. This species was first described by Roxburgh from South India. It is common and native of South, and widespread in Western Ghats. But there are some reports that this species is from Myanmar and Thailand, possibly an escape from the gardens. During British era, it travelled as an ornamental plant throughout the world. The large conical pseudostem and spacially arranged leaves made it more beautiful and the reason for great interest in horticultural market. It flowers mainly during the rainy season, but also flowers throughout the year when the water availability is constant. Sometimes it takes 5–6 years to flower, but still it can be grown in gardens without the flower as ornamental. It is common in the cliffs or large rocks and is also known as cliff banana. As it is found on cliffs, it can be grown in much less soil and can be planted in the rock gardens. It is also grown in medicinal gardens, because its seeds are with high medicinal value and is used to cure kidney stones. This taxon shows much variation in the size of vegetative as well as reproductive parts. The bracts sometimes show slightly greenish color in high altitude area. The imbricated nature of bracts and the color variations with large fruits add much to the gorgeousness of this species. Like any other Ensete species it propagates only through the seeds and is very difficult to get plantlets. 3. Musa arunachalensis A.Joe, Sreejith & M.Sabu, Phytotaxa 134(1): 50. 2013. It is another species of interest with orange bract. It is an endemic to Arunachal Pradesh and is a recently published species. This species grows as undergrowth and also in forest margins in moist ravines and flowers during January–August in wild condition. But under cultivation, it flowers throughout the year. The specific epithet ‘arunachalensis’ denotes the name of the State from where it was collected. The red‐orange bracts and arched male rachis attract plant lovers and it can be introduced into gardens as ornamental. 4. Musa aurantiaca G.Mann ex Baker, Ann. Bot. 7(26). 222. 1893 M. aurantiaca is one of the most elegant members of the genus with bright orange buds and with great ornamental potential. The specific epithet ‘aurantiaca’ is derived from the latin word ‘aurantiaco’ which means ‘orange’, indicating the bright orange color of bracts. M. aurantiaca usually grows on forest slopes, in open places with long grasses. It also grows along the road side in moist soil. It is also quite common near small streams of Nagaland. It is commonly seen at 300–1300 m elevation. Even though it is native of North‐East India, it can grow in the climatic condition of South India and hence can be introduced to gardens successfully. It can also be cultivated as pot plant as it attains only about 1–2 meter under pot culture. Its bright orange bracts and inflorescence itself looks like a flame and this species can be called as ‘flame of forest’. It flowers within 3 months after planting and continuous flowers can be obtained from the clump if there is enough water and manure. 215 5. Musa chunii Hakkinen, J. Syst. Evol. 47(1): 87. 2009 M. chunii was described by Hakkinen (2009) from China. Sabu et al. (2013b) added this species to the wild banana flora of India. M. chunii is distributed in China, India and Myanmar. In India, it is located only in Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh. The species grows as forest undergrowth in moist humus soils. The specific epithet ‘chunii’ is named in honour of the Chinese academician and botanist Chun Woon‐ Young. This is another species with small sized pseudostem and inflorescence that are pendulous. It produces pale lilac bracts that gave the plant much prettiness. Fruits also give much splendour as they are recurved and pointed upwards and it looks like small ‘robusta’ fruits. 6. Musa laterita Cheesman, Kew Bull. 4(3): 265. 1949 Vernacular Names: Malayalam: Thamaravazha; English: Laterite banana M. laterita was first described from Myanmar, even though it is common in Northeastern region of India and Thailand. It propagates by seeds as well as suckers. The rhizome is running and spreads over the area. Though it is a native of North‐East India, Myanmar and Thailand, it is commonly cultivated as ornamental throughout the world. The plant is slender and attains a height of 1–2 meter. Inflorescence is erect with velvety peduncle and upright fruits that are appressed to the rachis. The specific epithet is derived from the brick red color of the bracts that resembles the color of lateritic rocks. The brick color and the various shades of M. laterita attract the plant lovers to cultivate it. The yellow orange flowers and yellow bract apex makes it more attractive. Sometimes it escapes from the cultivated condition and grow as wild since it is ‘travelled’ by running rhizomes and hence, requires a big portion in gardens. It starts flowering within three months of planting and can continuously produce flowers. It is also used as cut flower in several countries. It is suitable to be grown in Indian soil and are very promising in cut flower industry. 7. M. mannii H.Wendl. ex Baker, in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 263. 1892 M. mannii is endemic to India. M. mannii is very rare and at present, found only in one locality in Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh. It occurs typically at elevations from 150–400 m in moist ravines and under forest. This species need wet soil and hence narrowed to the margins of small streams under shady conditions. The epithet ‘mannii’ is named after Gustav Mann, a German Botanist, who worked in Forest Department of India. Mann collected the specimen from Assam and send to Hermann Wendland, from whom the material reached Kew. “M. mannii was considered as a lost species from the wild, but has been offered in horticultural markets” (Hakkinen & Sharrock, 2002; Hakkinen, 2007; Hakkinen & Teo, 2008; Hakkinen & Vare, 2008). Musa mannii has been considered as extinct in the wild. There was no information on any collected specimen from wild after the description by Baker in 1892. Recently, Joe et al. (2014e) rediscovered M. mannii from Changlang, a place close to Makum forests (place misquoted as Mahuni forests in literatures) of Upper Assam, from where Mr. Mann collected other ‘Rhodochlamys’ species related to M. mannii. M. mannii is a unique species and can be easily distinguished from the other members of Musaceae by the short pseudostem and larger leaves which are highly drooping. It also differs from other members of the genus in having a pale crimson colored bracts and inflorescence with a bend to one side. However, the species shows high degree of variation in different climatic conditions and within populations. Variations were also noticed in the wild and under cultivation. The size of the plants varies from 80 to 120 cm during summer and rainy season respectively under cultivation and upto 150 cm in wild. The nature of inflorescence also varies from semi erect to horizontal and the infructescence becomes more pendent due to the weight of the fruits. Pale crimson or red colored bracts along with 216 small curved or straight fruits give it a more gorgeous look which can attract plant lovers the most. It is a suitable species for pot culture also. 8. Musa markkui Gogoi & Borah, Gard. Bull. Singapore 65(1): 20. 2013 M. markkui is endemic to NE India. It is quite common in the hilly slopes of Tidding, Salangam, all the way from Hyuliang to Mataliang, and also at Lohit and Anjaw District of Arunachal Pradesh. In Nagaland, the distribution is restricted to Minkong forests of Mokokchung district. M. markkui is commonly seen at the higher elevations of 900–1400 m. The specific ephithet ‘markkui’ is named in honour of Finnish Botanist Markku Hakkinen for his outstanding contribution to a better understanding of Musa taxonomy. M. markkui is closely related to M. ornata in the development of slender pseudostems, green peduncles, and pink female and male buds, but differs in having inflorescences that are at first erect and later bend to the peduncle, longer peduncles with whitish pubescence, reflexed and revolute bracts and more fruit bunches with more fruit in each bunch. This species shows much variation in the size of plants and other parts. The flowers without fertilization shows immature growth or without seeds under cultivation. 9. Musa ornata Roxb., Hort. Bengal. 19. 1814. nomen nud., Fl. Ind., ed. Carey & Wall., 2: 488. 1824. descr. M. ornata is the oldest and the most popular ornamental species. It was first listed in Roxburgh’s (1814) Hortus Bengalensis and the detailed description appeared in Flora indica in 1824. M. ornata is mainly seen near small streams and rivers in moist ravines. The specific epithet ‘ornata’ stands for the ornamental nature of the plant. It is mainly distributed in Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. M. ornata was described from Chittagong Hills, now a part of Bangladesh. There are also some specimens collected from the Hill tracts of Chittagong by J.S. Gamble in February 1880 at Madras Herbarium. M. ornata has travelled as an ornamental plant to Europe and other continents much earlier before it was described by Roxburgh. Baker in Hooker’s Flora of British India, pointed that ‘Eastern Himalaya and the Concan’ as the distributional area. It has been spotted from Singbhum valley of Chota Nagpur, Jharkhand (Prain 1903; Haines 1910). Sundaraj and Balasubramanyam (1971) subjected its occurrence in South India and found it limited to Arakku valley, Vishakapatnam of Andhra Pradesh. Shepherd (1999) had given its distribution area as Bihar and Peninsular India. Hore et al. (1992) suggested its occurrence in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram without any reference to a specimen. Saxena and Brahmam (1995) reported this 217 species in Orissa. Simmonds (1966) suggested the limited distribution of the species in the wild. Uma et al. (2006) wrongly gave the location as Chittagong forests of Tripura as in the Flora Indica, but now Chittagong forests come under the political boundary of Bangladesh. During the taxonomic studies conducted on Musaceae in India, we collected M. ornata from Mizoram, Northeast India, which is an authentic report on the record of the species from the region. The species was also collected from Arakku Valley, Andhra Pradesh, with some variation from the specimens collected from Mizoram. It is a unique species with pale pink or lilac bracts, style much small in male flowers and the waxy nature of the pseudostem which is not a common character in species with erect inflorescences. M. ornata shows a lot of variations in vegetative and reproductive structures. The height of the plant varies largely according to the climate and soil type. In moist soil conditions, it acquires a height of around 2 m tall. There are some variations among the plants seen in the Eastern Ghats and Northeastern parts of India. The plants from Arakku Valley, Andhra Pradesh show stamens that are cream and smaller anthers whereas NE specimens have red anthers. Because of its sweet lilac bracts and small green upright fruits, it travels throughout world as ornamental. 10. Musa rubra Wall. ex Kurz., J. Agric. Soc. Ind. 14: 301. 1867 M. rubra is distributed in India, Myanmar and Thailand. In India, it is only known from Mizoram, North‐Eastern India in the wild. This species grows as undergrowth and also on the slopes of forest margins. The specific epithet ‘rubra’ stands for its red coloured bracts. M. rubra suckers freely but, unlike most Musa, the suckers are borne at the end of long rhizomes. So, instead of the typical clumped appearance of most bananas, Musa rubra has a rather open habit. In a greenhouse bed or in a garden, M. rubra is a rather unruly plant that soon ʺtravelsʺ from its planting place. Fortunately, the plant is quite amenable to pot culture where the long rhizomes will not be apparent until the plant is re‐ potted. The fruits are closely appressed to the rachis, another characteristic feature of M. rubra. This species is considered as extinct from wild but still survive in the gardens as ornamental. 11. Musa sanguinea Hook.f., Bot. Mag. 98: t. 5975. 1872 This is another Indian species which is considered as extinct from the wild but survive through gardens. The specific epithet ‘sanguinea’ indicate its bright red coloured bracts. M. sanguinea is closely allied to M. aurantiaca, but differs from it in having bright red coloured bracts that reflex and revolute before falling. 12. Musa velutina H.Wendl. & Drude, Gartenflora 24: 65, t. 823. 1875 M. velutina is distributed in India and Myanmar. In India, it is common in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Unlike other Musa species, it is not common in forests and is widely present on roadsides, near railway tracks, near drainage, near paddy fields and very common in backyards. The sweet pulp is eaten by bats, birds and monkeys, and they disperse the seeds. This species multiply easily through seed germination and suckers, and are sometimes reported as weeds in paddy fields. The specific epithet ‘velutina’ denotes its velvety fruits. 13. Musa velutina H.Wendl. & Drude subsp. markkuana M.Sabu, A.Joe & Sreejith, Phytotaxa 92(2): 49. 2013 M. velutina subsp. markkuana is endemic to North‐East India. This taxon occurs in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, Northeastern India. It is very common in Balukpong area, West Kameng district, and Tezu and Hayulyang of Arunachal Pradesh. In Nagaland, it occurs mostly in Minkong Forests, Mokokchung. Generally grows along road sides and in marshy areas. Found also in forest margins. The specific epithet ‘markkuana’ is given after Mr. Markku Hakkinen for his contributions to the taxonomy of wild Musaceae. The erect inflorescence with pink bracts and purple fruits makes it a potential 218 ornamental plant. It is more allied to M. velutina, but with maroon glabrous fruits that do not split open at maturity. 14. Musa velutina H.Wendl. & Drude var. variegata A.Joe, M.Sabu & Sreejith, Pl. Syst. Evol. 300(1): 13. 2014. M. velutina var. variegata is endemic to Tinsukia District, Assam. It grows along the road sides, drainage and the marshy wastelands. The varietal epithet ‘variegata’ is derived from its variegated bracts, ie., bracts red with white‐pink striations. This species has high ornamental potential and hence can be introduced in gardens. M. velutina var. variegata shows affinity to M. velutina, in its hairy fruits, but differs in having variegated bracts. 2. Conclusion All banana plants have its own beauty with it’s ripen or unripe fruits. But the ornamental bananas regards to such type with short stature or pseudostem with conical appearance and with bracts that are deeply colored. Those bananas were cultivated long years ago and still have much value in horticultural markets. The plant lover’s eager to cultivate them in their gardens gave them more popularity. Conflict of interest statement We declare that we have no conflict of interest. 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