1126

 Musa itinerans Cheesman

Family	:	Musaceae
Flowering and fruiting period	:	June to December
Distribution	:	China, India (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland), Myanmar and Thailand.
Endemic/exotic	:	Flower bud used for the preparation of various dishes
Key botanical characters:   Rhizomatous, stoloniferous, suckering, non-clump forming herbs, spreading by running rhizomes. Pseudostem 3–5.5 m tall, cylindrical, yellowish green or reddish brown. Leaves arranged terminally, intermediate; petioles 60–70 cm long, pale green or yellowish green. Inflorescence pendulous, then nearly horizontal; female and male bud lanceolate, convolute, male bud ovoid in advanced blooming; bracts and flowers inserted separately on the axis; bracts reflexed and revolute before falling, glabrous, dark maroon with yellow striations or yellow margins towards apex adaxially, cream to yellowish cream or yellow abaxially; flowers arranged in two rows. Infructescence lax with 3–6 hands, pointed upwards; fingers pedicellate, straight, slightly ridged, minutely pointed at apex, glabrous, pale green, green when mature.