| BRIEF DESCRIPTION A small herb, not more than 3 m tall, with a short underground stem and a pseudostem consisting of overlapping leaf-sheaths which are tightly rolled round each other to form a ridgid bundle and an erect inflorescence. USES The bitter tasting inflorescence is used as a vegetable, the inner part is eaten raw with fried noodles, after boiling in water, or after roasting in hot ashes. It can also be used in soups. The lower, soft inner part of the pseudostem is also eaten fresh or boiled with a capsicum sauce or curries. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. COMMON NAMES Banana, Bananier, Pisang, Saging, Sulay baguio, Bungulan, Lakatan, Nget pyo three, Cheek nam'vaa, Kwayz, Kluai. FURTHER INF Banana (salaccensis) is native of Sumatra and Java. In the humid tropics, it can be found at elevations between sea level and 1200 m. In the wild it occur mainly in forests, on forest edges, in ravines and on water sides. It is sensitive to strong winds. |
| Siemonsma J 1993 pp 215-217 [USE, LIG, RAIN, TEMP, DEP, TEXT, FER, DRA, LIMIT] |