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Taxonomic notes on wild bananas (Musa) from China
Abstract
Musa paracoccinea is published as a new species. Two imperfectly known species, M. nagensium and M. sanguinea are accepted. Musa lushanensis, M. luteola and M. dechangensis are reduced as synonyms of M. basjoo. It is pointed out here that M. wilsonii and M. rubra used in the Chinese literature such as Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. and Fl. Yunnan. are in fact misidentifications of M. itinerans and M. sanguinea, respectively.
... errans (Blanco) R.V. Valmayor Philippines Shepherd, 1990;Valmayor, 2001;Carreel et al., 2002;Valmayor et al., 2004 M. acuminata Argent, 1976;Ross, 1987;Shepherd, 1990;Tezenas du Montcel, 1990;Wong et al., 2003;cf. Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Musa balbisiana Colla 3 Sri Lanka?, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China, Philippines Argent, 1976;Sharrock, 1990;Silva, 2000;Sotto and Rabara, 2000;Wu and Kress, 2000;Ge et al., 2005;Uma et al., 2005Uma et al., , 2006bUma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Wang et al., 2007;Boonruangrod et al., 2008 Liu et al., 2002b;Turner et al., 2002;Väre, 2008c, 2009 Wu and Kress, 2000;Ying, 2000;Chiu et al., 2004;cf. Häkkinen and Väre, 2008cMusa griersonii Noltie Bhutan Noltie, 1994a, 1994b Musa itinerans Cheesman -with 6+ varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China Wu and Kress, 2000;Liu et al., 2002b;Valmayor et al., 2005;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006; Musa nagensium Prain -with 2 varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, China (Yunnan), Thailand Liu et al., 2002b;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Häkkinen, 2008 Musa ochracea Shepherd India (Northeast?) Shepherd, 1999;Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Wang, 2007, 2009;Häkkinen, 2008 1 No comprehensive, modern study of Musa acuminata taxonomic diversity in the wild has been done. ...
... Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Musa balbisiana Colla 3 Sri Lanka?, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China, Philippines Argent, 1976;Sharrock, 1990;Silva, 2000;Sotto and Rabara, 2000;Wu and Kress, 2000;Ge et al., 2005;Uma et al., 2005Uma et al., , 2006bUma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Wang et al., 2007;Boonruangrod et al., 2008 Liu et al., 2002b;Turner et al., 2002;Väre, 2008c, 2009 Wu and Kress, 2000;Ying, 2000;Chiu et al., 2004;cf. Häkkinen and Väre, 2008cMusa griersonii Noltie Bhutan Noltie, 1994a, 1994b Musa itinerans Cheesman -with 6+ varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China Wu and Kress, 2000;Liu et al., 2002b;Valmayor et al., 2005;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006; Musa nagensium Prain -with 2 varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, China (Yunnan), Thailand Liu et al., 2002b;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Häkkinen, 2008 Musa ochracea Shepherd India (Northeast?) Shepherd, 1999;Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Wang, 2007, 2009;Häkkinen, 2008 1 No comprehensive, modern study of Musa acuminata taxonomic diversity in the wild has been done. The listed botanical subspecies and varieties thus do not represent different degrees of evolutionary divergence (as has been discerned for example in M. maclayi -see Appendix 2), but simply reflect the unintegrated recognition of biological entities (taxa) by different researchers. ...
... Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Musa balbisiana Colla 3 Sri Lanka?, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China, Philippines Argent, 1976;Sharrock, 1990;Silva, 2000;Sotto and Rabara, 2000;Wu and Kress, 2000;Ge et al., 2005;Uma et al., 2005Uma et al., , 2006bUma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Wang et al., 2007;Boonruangrod et al., 2008 Liu et al., 2002b;Turner et al., 2002;Väre, 2008c, 2009 Wu and Kress, 2000;Ying, 2000;Chiu et al., 2004;cf. Häkkinen and Väre, 2008cMusa griersonii Noltie Bhutan Noltie, 1994a, 1994b Musa itinerans Cheesman -with 6+ varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, China Wu and Kress, 2000;Liu et al., 2002b;Valmayor et al., 2005;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006; Musa nagensium Prain -with 2 varieties India (Northeast), Myanmar, China (Yunnan), Thailand Liu et al., 2002b;Uma and Buddenhagen, 2006;Häkkinen, 2008 Musa ochracea Shepherd India (Northeast?) Shepherd, 1999;Häkkinen and Väre, 2008c Wang, 2007, 2009;Häkkinen, 2008 1 No comprehensive, modern study of Musa acuminata taxonomic diversity in the wild has been done. The listed botanical subspecies and varieties thus do not represent different degrees of evolutionary divergence (as has been discerned for example in M. maclayi -see Appendix 2), but simply reflect the unintegrated recognition of biological entities (taxa) by different researchers. ...
A review of the biology and taxonomy of Musa, with emphasis on agriculture.
... The majority of Musaceae species, however, belong to the genus Musa, which has a distribution range that coincides roughly with the different tropical Southeast Asian hotspots (Sundaland, Philippines, Wallacea and Indo-Burma). From a taxonomic point of view, Musa is regarded as a problematic group as a result of past and present typification issues (H€ akkinen & V€ are, 2008), the struggle of collecting quality herbarium material because of the large, fleshy habit (Argent, 2000) and the frequent presence of ephemeral flowers (Liu et al., 2002;Chiu et al., 2011). As a result, the number of species in the genus Musa is estimated to be between 60 and 70. ...
... The phylogenetic relationships obtained within Musaceae are largely in congruence with the results of Liu et al. (2002), Wong et al. (2002, Nwakanma et al. (2003), Li et al. (2010) and Christelov a et al. (2011). Musaceae forms a monophyletic clade in which the currently recognized genera (Musa, Ensete and Musella) form well-delimited monophyletic lineages (Figs 1, S3). ...
... In contrast with the other Musaceae genera, Musella apparently did not radiate or disperse into Southeast Asia. Instead, it is adapted to a different ecological niche compared with its close relatives as it can also grow and reproduce in drier and colder habitats (Liu et al., 2002). Musella used to be widespread in the subtropical evergreen Yunnan Plateau forests (Olson et al., 2001;Liu et al., 2002) until the suitable habitat was fragmented as a result of extensive cultivation (Ma et al., 2011). ...
Tropical Southeast Asia, which harbors most of the Musaceae biodiversity, is one of the most species‐rich regions in the world. Its high degree of endemism is shaped by the region's tectonic and climatic history, with large differences between northern Indo‐Burma and the Malayan Archipelago. Here, we aim to find a link between the diversification and biogeography of Musaceae and geological history of the Southeast Asian subcontinent.
The Musaceae family (including five Ensete, 45 Musa and one Musella species) was dated using a large phylogenetic framework encompassing 163 species from all Zingiberales families. Evolutionary patterns within Musaceae were inferred using ancestral area reconstruction and diversification rate analyses.
All three Musaceae genera – Ensete, Musa and Musella – originated in northern Indo‐Burma during the early Eocene. Musa species dispersed from ‘northwest to southeast’ into Southeast Asia with only few back‐dispersals towards northern Indo‐Burma.
Musaceae colonization events of the Malayan Archipelago subcontinent are clearly linked to the geological and climatic history of the region. Musa species were only able to colonize the region east of Wallace's line after the availability of emergent land from the late Miocene onwards.
... About 70 species are described in the Musa genus [14]. However, the actual number of Musa species remains enigmatic, as the taxonomy of the genus is believed to be confounded by typification errors and difficulties regarding species identification due to the lack of high-quality herbarium specimens and the occurrence of ephemeral flowers [15][16][17]. Currently, all Musa species are categorized into two sections: Musa (n = 11) and Callimusa (n = 7/9/10) [14]. ...
... In contrast to M. splendida, M. viridis was reported as nonrhizomatous [22][23][24]. Musa paracoccinea A.Z.Liu & D.Z.Li, endemic to the Yunnan province in southern China, also features red male flower bracts and shares geographic proximity with M. splendida and M. viridis [16]. However, M. paracoccinea plants are considered to be taller (4-6 m vs. 3-4 m), to have ovately shaped male flower bracts (vs. ...
Species delimitation is essential to study and conserve biological diversity. It is traditionally based on morphological trait variation observed in one or a few specimens. Nevertheless, such assessments may not sufficiently take intraspecific trait variation into account, misidentifying morphotypes as separate species. The use of high-throughput sequencing data alongside morphological data in taxonomic studies may substantially improve the accuracy of taxonomic assessments. The Musa genus, commonly known for comprising the wild relatives of banana varieties, consists of about seventy described species. However, the taxonomic status of multiple Musa species is uncertain due to typification errors and the lack of high-quality specimens. The species M. splendida and M. viridis from northern Viet Nam only substantially differ from each other in the color of their male flower bracts, which is red to pinkish-red in M. splendida and pink in M. viridis. Consequently, their taxonomic status as separate species has been debated. Here, we studied the genetic relationships between 121 M. splendida and M. viridis plants using high-throughput sequencing data (DArTseq) in which we identified 51,188 single nucleotide polymorphisms. We found that individuals genetically clustered in a principal component analysis (6 clusters), fastStructure analysis (four groups), and ASTRAL-III consensus phylogenetic tree (nine clades) based on their population origin rather than by their taxon identity. In addition, a strong signal for an isolation-by-distance pattern between populations was observed. Plants identified as M. viridis were more closely related to M. splendida plants from the same region than to M. viridis plants from other regions. Hence, we propose to treat M. viridis as a synonym of M. splendida.
... The morphology of all the observed plants is completely conform to the description of the type by Liu et al. (2002) (Fig. 7). ...
... Musa paracoccinea was firstly reported in Yunnan (China) (Liu et al. 2002). This Chinese province shares a border with Lao Cai and Ha Giang provinces in Viet Nam, where we found the six populations of M. paracoccinea. ...
Northern Viet Nam displays a remarkable diversity of wild bananas (Musa L.), including the species from which the majority of cultivated bananas derive. The taxonomy and exact distribution of these wild bananas are however not well known, limiting their conservation and use. In the present study, we describe the morphology, ecology, and phytogeography of the 6 Musa species that were collected between 2016 and 2019 in northern Viet Nam: Musa acuminata Colla, M. balbisiana Colla, M. itinerans Cheesman, M. haekkinenii N.S.Ly & Haev, M. lutea R.V.Valmayor, L.D.Danh and Hakkinen and M. paracoccinea A.Z.Liu and D.Z.Li:. Of these, M. itinerans was the species with the most widespread distribution range, occurring as large mats in various habitats between 136 and 1331 m, whereas M. acuminata was found between 136 and 989 m and M. balbisiana was between 108 and 981 m. Furthermore, M. lutea, M. paracoccinea and M. haekkinenii were distributed in open areas with low competition for light, between 80 and 800 m. These latter three species have the potential to become ornamental plants, being characterized by bright and colourful upright inflorescences. The data presented here will help in providing a valuable contribution to the conservation and use of the wild bananas in northern Viet Nam.
... Five varieties of M. campestris have been reported by Häkkinen (2003) in Borneo. M. paracoccinea is restricted to Yunnan province of Southern China (Liu et al., 2002). Out of 22 species, only M. coccinea and M. beccarii have been used as ornamentals. ...
... Several researchers are continuously exploring these regions to search for Musa species and adding the new species in to wild ornamental Musa flora. In the last two decades, several new taxa belonging to Rhodochlamys and Callimusa have been described from North-East India and Indo-China region, which includes M. exotica (Valmayor, 2001), M. paracoccinea (Liu et al., 2002), M. voonii (Häkkinen, 2004), M. viridis and M. lutea (Valmayor et al., 2004), M. tonkinensis (Valmayor et al., 2005), M. rubinea (Häkkinen and Teo, 2008), M. zaifui (Häkkinen and Wang, 2008), M. chunii (Häkkinen, 2009), M. haekkineii (Lý et al., 2012), M. arunachalensis (Sreejith et al., 2013), M. ornata variant M. markkui (Gogoi and Borah, 2013), M. ruiliensis (Chen et al., 2014) and M. velutina variants M. velutina ssp. markkuana (Sabu et al., 2013a) and M. velutina ssp. ...
... However, little is known about the natural distribution of many wild species and consequently specific collecting and in situ conservation strategies are missing for these species. Botanical knowledge to identify species correctly is rare due to the lack of good herbarium material as a result of their large, fleshy architecture and ephemeral flowers and molecular methods are often needed for a correct species distinction (Liu et al., 2002). Moreover, most wild species occur in remote and often inaccessible areas that require substantial travelling to reach. ...
... Moreover, the taxonomy of wild Musa species is not well resolved and a large number of new species have been described in the past decade(Chen et al., 2014; Gogoi & Borah, 2013;Gogoi & Häkkinen, 2013;Häkkinen et al., 2014). Lumping different species is also frequently proposed(Hareesh et al., 2017;Joe et al., 2016;Liu et al., 2002), highlighting the necessity of more field missions combined with molecular research to resolve these taxonomic issues(Christelová et al., 2017). While many surveys are standardized and record important data such as date, locality and geographical coor-dinates, such data are often missing in literature, making them only partially usable in modelling studies. ...
Aim
Crop wild relatives (CWR) are an essential source of genetic material for the improvement of certain traits in related crop species. Despite their importance, increasing public, scientific and political support, large gaps exist in the amount of genetic material collected and conserved of many CWR. Here, we construct a dataset on the distribution of wild banana species (Musa spp.) and assess their risk and conservation status. We deal with the following questions: (a) What areas are potentially suitable for wild banana species? (b) How much of the wild banana diversity is currently at risk or insufficiently conserved ex and in situ?
Location
Native distribution area of wild banana species, ranging from the north‐eastern states of India to north‐eastern Australia.
Methods
We assessed the potential environmental range of wild species using a species distribution modelling approach with MaxEnt. Extinction risk was evaluated following IUCN criterion B, and the ex and in situ conservation status was assessed using an indicator for biodiversity and sustainable development targets.
Results
We found that 11 out of 59 assessed species can be considered as vulnerable and nine as endangered. Highest species richness was found along the border of south China and northern Vietnam, in the north‐eastern states of India and on the Malayan peninsula. Our distribution modelling approach indicates that the northern Indo‐Burmese region has the highest environmental suitability for most wild banana species and that lowland rain forests in general are highly suitable for bananas. Assessment of in and ex situ conservation status indicates that 56 out of 59 assessed species are currently insufficiently conserved ex situ and that 49 are of high priority for further conservation. Additional in situ conservation is of high priority for six species and of medium priority for 40 species.
Main conclusions
To date, little of the banana CWR are sufficiently conserved both in and ex situ.
... Musa basjoo Siebold is a cold hardy banana species and is thought to be originated from southern China 21,22 and is genetically differentiated from other Musa species 22,23 . M. basjoo Siebold & Zucc. ...
... Musa basjoo Siebold is a cold hardy banana species and is thought to be originated from southern China 21,22 and is genetically differentiated from other Musa species 22,23 . M. basjoo Siebold & Zucc. ...
Genetic variation evolves during postglacial range expansion of a species and is important for adapting to varied environmental conditions. It is crucial for the future survival of a species. We investigate the nuclear DNA sequence variation to provide evidence of postglacial range expansion of Musa basjoo var. formosana, a wild banana species, and test for adaptive evolution of amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) loci underlying local adaptation in association with environmental variables. Postglacial range expansion was suggested by phylogeographical analyses based on sequence variation of the second intron of copper zinc superoxide dismutase 2 gene. Two glacial refugia were inferred by the average FST parameter (mean FST of a population against the remaining populations). Using variation partitioning by redundancy analysis, we found a significant amount of explained AFLP variation attributed to environmental and spatially-structured environmental effects. By combining genome scan methods and multiple univariate logistic regression, four AFLP loci were found to be strongly associated with environmental variables, including temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, wet days, and surface coverage activity representing vegetation greenness. These environmental variables may have played various roles as ecological drivers for adaptive evolution of M. basjoo var. formosana during range expansion after the last glacial maximum.
... The first published information regarding M. sanguinea emerged in the late 19th century, when J. D. Hooker described the species from a cultivated plant at Kew, with a colour sketch in Curtis's Botanical Magazine 98: t. 5975 (1872). It was later reported to occur in Yunnan, China (Liu et al. 2002) but from field observations recently conducted by the first author, the plants in Yunnan are a distinct species. It was also confused with M. aurantiaca in some publications (Häkkinen & Väre 2008a). ...
... Musa sanguinea was later reported to occur in Yunnan, China (Liu et al. 2002) but from field observations recently conducted by the first author, the plant in Yunnan is a distinct, undescribed species of section Rhodochlamys. It was also clearly indicated from Liu's herbarium specimen no: 0787032 (KUN!). ...
In 1949 a single plant of Musa mannii Baker, grown in Trinidad from seeds imported from Java, was incorrectly identified as Musa sanguinea Hook. f. As a consequence, the circumscription of M. mannii became confused. M. mannii is very rare or extinct in its indigenous area in Assam, India. However, it is grown in many botanic gardens worldwide. In
contrast, M. sanguinea is a common sympatric species with M. aurantiaca in upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, India, but it is today unknown to most botanists. The aim of this study is to settle
the true identity of M. mannii and M. sanguinea. The names are typified, as well as Musa × kewensis Baker (M. mannii × ornata).
... The distribution of M. sanguinea was reported for the first time from Mahuni forests along the banks of Dihing River, Upper Assam, by Gustav Mann (1869). Later, it was also reported from Yunnan, China, by Liu et al. (2002) and it was reported as an extinct species in India by Sabu et al. (2014) and . In contrast, the present study re-reported the presence of M. sanguinea from Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh, NE India. ...
The present study emphasized the distribution and utilization of both wild and domesticated Musa spp. of the Nocte tribe from Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh. An extensive field survey was conducted from July to October 2023. A total of 62 households were surveyed randomly with the help of a semi-constructed questionnaire and personal interview. About 69% of the informants were from the age group of 31-60 years. About 84% live in a nuclear family type. Maximum informants were male (74.19%) and were married (80.64%). Only 17.75% of the informants were illiterate and were farmers (46.77%). In this study, 13 wild Musa spp. were reported from Tirap district, and 4 Musa spp. were found to be cultivated by the tribe. Of these, 76.47% were wild, and the rest were domesticated. M. itinerens had a widespread distribution range and occurred in various habitats between 155 and 1,711 masl altitudes. The highest use percentage was found in the Edible use category with 33%, followed by Ceremonies and Rituals (19%), Commercial uses (12%), and both Other and Packing purposes (10% each). Among the plant parts, inflorescences had the highest usage with 30%, followed by leaf (24%), pseudo stem (21%), etc. Among all Musa spp., M. itinerens had the highest number of usages (14 uses), followed by M. nagensium (12 uses).
... M. itinerans is known to form large populations easily, thanks to its spreading rhizomatous root system, and is often a common pioneer species in degraded secondary tropical forests [47]. The species is dispersed across continental Southeast Asia including Yunnan, upper Burma (Myanmar) [77,78], Laos, Vietnam [62,74], and North Thailand [64]. In India, the species is confined to the northeast states: Manipur, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh [72], as well as Nagaland [65]. ...
Many species are defined in the Musa section within its natural diversification area in Southeast Asia. However, their actual number remains debated as botanical characterisation, distribution and intraspecific variability are still poorly known, compromising their preservation and their exploitation as crop wild relatives of cultivated forms. To address the underexplored Musa diversity in mainland Southeast Asia, at the northern edge of the natural range, 208 specimens were collected in Vietnam, Laos and China, mainly belonging to Musa balbisiana, M. itinerans, M. acuminata and M. yunnanensis. Data on location, morphology, environment and local knowledge were recorded, and leaf samples collected for high-throughput genotyping. This study combines geographical, morphological, and genomic diversity to clarify the taxonomic classification. The collected species exhibit highly distinctive morphologies and genomes, just as they differ in ranges and life traits. Intraspecific genomic diversity was also observed, although not necessarily morphologically perceptible. Mainland Southeast Asia is confirmed as a primary diversification centre for the Musa section. The diversity observed is only partially represented in major international ex situ collections, calling for their urgent enrichment and the promotion of in situ management procedures, for the protection of these threatened species and to better harness their potential in breeding programmes. Although considered wild, the species studied are all affected to varying extents by human use. Musa yunnanensis and M. acuminata subsp. burmannica are the most strictly wild forms, with spontaneous interspecific hybrids first described in this study. Although gathered as fodder, they were only occasionally dispersed outside their endemic zones. Musa itinerans is not cultivated per se, but natural populations are widely exploited, leading to a geographically structured diversity. The diversity of M. balbisiana is widely distributed and geographically structured by human activities. This species should be regarded as domesticated. These various stages, from simple opportunistic gathering to true domestication, shed light on the evolutionary history of today’s cultivated varieties.
... In situ conservation emerges as a vital strategy for preserving species diversity and genetic variability, albeit hindered by challenges such as limited botanical knowledge for accurate species identification and difficulties in accessing remote locations, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas like Southeast Asia (Liu et al., 2002 andSardos et al., 2018). Bridging this gap requires selecting suitable varieties, developing updated technologies, and providing quality planting materials tailored to the coastal ecosystem (Rasmussen et al., 2015, Merritt et al., 2014, Flanagan et al., 2019, and Hunter & Heywood, 2011. ...
This study aimed to assess, conserve, and characterize banana germplasms in Bangladesh's coastal salt ecosystem, with the goal of improving cultivation resilience and sustainability under challenging environmental conditions. Thirty-five banana germplasms were subjected to in situ investigation, with 11 germplasms undergoing morphological characterization, revealing significant variations in key parameters. Additionally, 11 germplasms representing Musa species were collected for ex situ conservation at the Germplasm Center, Department of Horticulture, PSTU, with three, four, and four germplasms falling under Musa paradisiaca, Musa acuminata, and Musa sapientum, respectively. Notably, M. paradisiaca (kacha kola), M. acuminata (atia kola), and M. sapientum (table banana) exhibited promising traits in terms of morphological characteristics, total yield, and shelf-life. Among these, germplasm MP01 (M. paradisiaca), MA17 (M. acuminata), and MS09 (M. sapientum) demonstrated superior potential for maximizing production and profitability within the coastal salt ecosystem region. These findings offer valuable insights for banana cultivation in similar challenging environments, contributing to enhanced agricultural sustainability and livelihoods.
... Musella was placed under Musa based on a polycarpic habit and the perianth structures [26,30]. However, several characters of Musella, i.e., dwarf, congested pseudostems, compact rosette inflorescences and embryological characters, placed Musella as a separated genus [33][34][35][36]. The molecular data suggested that Musella is closely related to Ensete [6,7]; the two genera possess quite similar inflorescences [2,37]. ...
Classification of the banana family (Musaceae) into three genera, Musa, Ensete and Musella, and infrageneric ranking are still ambiguous. Within the genus Musa, five formerly separated sections were recently merged into sections Musa and Callimusa based on seed morphology, molecular data and chromosome numbers. Nevertheless, other key morphological characters of the genera, sections, and species have not been clearly defined. This research aims to investigate male floral morphology, classify members of the banana family based on overall similarity of morphological traits using 59 banana accessions of 21 taxa and make inferences of the evolutionary relationships of 57 taxa based on ITS, trnL-F, rps16 and atpB-rbcL sequences from 67 Genbank and 10 newly collected banana accessions. Fifteen quantitative characters were examined using principal component analysis and canonical discriminant analysis and 22 qualitative characters were analyzed by the Unweighted Pair Group Method with an Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). The results showed that fused tepal morphology, median inner tepal shape and length of style supported the three clades of Musa, Ensete and Musella, while shapes of median inner tepal and stigma classified the two Musa sections. In conclusion, a combination of morphological characters of male flowers and molecular phylogenetics well support the taxonomic arrangement within the banana family and the Musa genus and assist in selection of characters to construct an identification key of Musaceae.
... Taxonomy of the wild Musa species is complex (Argent 1976; Simmonds and Weathercup 1990;Gawel et al. 1992;Liu et al. 2002Liu et al. , 2010Häkkinen and Väre 2008;Sabu 2016, 2019). Based on molecular phylogenetic studies on the genus Musa, two sections viz., Musa sect. ...
In the present study, we have re-visited Musa taxonomy based on morphological and molecular data. DNA sequence data (ITS, trnL-F) and population assessment reveal that Musa balbisiana var. andamanica and Musa sabuana should be synonymized under Musa balbisiana. Based on the present work, we recognize four species of Musa namely M. acuminata, M. balbisiana, M. indandamanensis, and M. paramjitiana in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
... Musa basjoo is one of the best known species in the genus because of its ability to grow outdoors in cool climates. Flowers are used to treat dysentery, ulcers, and bronchitis [4,16]. ...
Worldwide, the banana is the most famous fruit on the market. All parts of the plant have been used over the years in medicine and the curative properties of the banana are well known. No reports about the study of the nectar of banana flowers could be find, except those on extracts from different parts of the plant, this being the reason of starting synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the banana flower's nectar. Because conventional methods for producing NPs are expensive, toxic and non-organic in this study it was used natural sources for NPs synthesis (green synthesis). The AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies.
... Natural distribution area of M. coccinea is in southern China (Liu et al., 2002). It is highly attractive by the bright orange-red color of its persistent bracts ( Figure 4E). ...
More than 18 wild banana (Musaceae) species and hundreds of cultivars were found in Thailand, many are introduced as ornamentals. The banana family which is classified into three genera: Musa, Ensete and Musella, distributes in the old world tropics and Thailand is among their centers of origin. Many banana species possess attractive bract colors such as orange, pink, bright red, purple, and also, though less frequently found, yellow and green. Several other appealing features of the bananas are dwarf pseudostems, variegated leaves, multiple male inflorescence, uneven colored inflorescence bracts and numerous hands of fruits. Recently, three new banana species, Musa siamensis Häkkinen and Rich. H. Wallace, M. serpentina Swangpol & Somana and M. nanensis Swangpol and Traiperm were discovered in the country. These bananas have decorative potential; taxonomic revision could enhance the selection process of these taxa and bring them into the spot light as economic ornamental crops. © 2017 International Society for Horticultural Science.All Rights Reserved.
... Considering their great economic importance in tropical agriculture, cultivated bananas have attracted a good deal of research in many countries over many years. Conversely, wild bananas have attracted much less attention (Simmonds and Weatherup, 1990;Gaweletal., 1992) as they form a taxonomically difficult group (Liu et al., 2002a). ...
... Wild species of banana family have been a taxonomically difficult group due to the large fleshy nature of the plants, ephemeral aspect of the flowers (Liu et al. 2002), and poor representation in herbaria (Argent 1976, Häkkinen & Väre 2008. In the last decade, extensive field observations were made by botanists in diversity centers of Musa, such as India, southwestern China, Vietnam etc., and many new species were identified (i.e., Häkkinen 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, Häkkinen & Meekiong 2004, Häkkinen & Wallace 2007, Häkkinen & Teo 2008, Häkkinen & Wang 2008, Sabu et al. 2013). ...
A new species Musa ruiliensis, which occurs in Yunnan, China, is described based on morphological characters and molecular phylogeny. It belongs to Musa sect. Musa (former Rhodochlamys) and has close relationship with Musa chunii Hakkinen and Musa rubinea Hakkinen & C.H. Teo. A detailed description, chromosome cytology (2n = 2x = 22) and phylogenetic position are provided.
... Uma et al. (2005) misidentified M. cheesmanii N.W.Simmonds as M. nagensium and provided the photograph of the former. Liu et al. (2002) lectotypified M. nagensium by designating a specimen collected by Abdul Huq s.n., from Naga Hills, preserved at K (image !). They also mentioned it as an 'incompletely known species' in China because of its limited distribution. ...
Since the publication of Musa nagensium Prain in 1904, this taxon has not been collected from the Indian forests or misidentified under different species. Here, M. nagensium is rediscovered after a lapse of more than a century from North-East India. M. nagensium var. hongii is reduced to the synonomy of M. nagensium. Detailed description, photographs, notes on distribution, ecological details and notes on variation are provided. IUCN conservation status based on the field study is also provided.
... Th e major center of diversity of the genus Musa L. (Musaceae) is in southeast Asia, a region where Musa taxonomy has been highly neglected. However, in recent years a large number of new species and intraspecifi c taxa have been discovered in this region (Jacquin 1804, Sealy 1956, Shepherd 1999, H ä kkinen and De Langhe 2001, Singh et al. 2001, Valmayor 2001, H ä kkinen 2002, 2003a, b, 2004a, b, 2005a, b, 2006a, b, c, 2007, 2009, Liu et al. 2002, H ä kkinen and Meekiong 2004, 2005, H ä kkinen and Wallace 2007, H ä kkinen and Wang 2007, H ä kkinen and V ä re 2008a, b, c, d, V ä re and H ä kkinen 2009, Swangpol and Somana 2011, L ý et al. 2012. Th e present paper reports the discovery of a new species of Musa sect. ...
Musa puspanjaliae R. Gogoi & Häkkinen, a new species of Musa sect. Musa, is described and illustrated from west Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, India based on morphological characteristics observed in the field. The new species is common in Sessa, Zero Point to Ramda on Sepa road of west Kameng and Hazi Basti, Ziro of lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh. A key to M. puspanjaliae and related taxa is provided.
... Musa coccinea, conocida como 'banano escarlata', es una especie ornamental de la familia Musaceae (Jones, 2000), nativa de China (Liu et al., 2002). M. coccinea se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en el mundo, incluidos Colombia (Villegas et al., 2005) y Brasil (Lins y Coelho, 2004) en América del Sur. ...
Necrotic streak symptoms were observed on the leaves of a Musa coccinea (scarlet banana) plant from Antioquia (Colombia). Immune capture reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (ICRT-PCR) amplified a DNA fragment of approximately 377 base pairs showing amino acid sequence identities of 57% with the coat protein of Alstroemeria virus X (AlsVX, AB206396) genus Potexvirus. This is the first report of a Potexvirus infecting M. coccinea. Alignments of the 3’UTRs of the M. coccinea Potexvirus and AlsVX showed that these two viruses differ in a significant way in this region, which suggests that the Potexvirus isolated from M. coccinea in Colombia is a new specie in the genus Potexvirus. We propose the name of Scarlet banana necrotic streak virus (SBanNSV) for the Potexvirus that was isolated from M. coccinea.
... South China is on the northern border of the Musa centre of origin and has a rich and diverse germplasm resource. There are an estimated 11 species native to China (Li 1978, Wu andKress 2000) with two new wild species of Musa from Yunnan recently reported (Liu et al. 2002, Ha¨kkinen 2009). The banana cultivars in China are primarily grouped into four groups: Xiangyajiao (AAA), Dajiao (ABB), Fenjiao (ABB) and Longyajiao (AAB). ...
With 2 figures and 2 tables
Abstract
Microsatellite sequences were determined from Musa balbisiana , a wild diploid species in China, using selectively amplified microsatellite analysis. Fourteen microsatellite loci were evaluated in a collection of 22 cultivated bananas and 11 wild species. A total of 77 alleles were detected with an average of 5.5 alleles and heterozygosity (H) = 0.355 per locus. Efficient loci transferability of M. balbisiana simple sequence repeat markers across other wild species of the genus was observed. Sequencing alleles at four loci showed that, apart from microsatellite length variation, point mutations and insertions/deletions were quite abundant, especially when comparing Musella lasiocarpa and Ensete glaucum with the other Musa species/subspecies. In the sequenced regions, some single‐nucleotide polymorphisms were identified which distinguished M. lasiocarpa and E. glaucum from the other Musa species.
... The descriptions published in the Chinese literature are from either imperfectly known undescribed Callimusa or Rhodochlamys species. The unknown Callimusa species could not be located anymore but according to herbarium specimen no: 159711, Guangdong (Kwangtung), 1952-07-28, S. Wang 160127 (IBSC!), it is a relative to Musa paracoccinea A. Z. Liu & D. Z. Li (Liu et al., 2002), from south Yunnan, China. This Callimusa species (Wu, 1981, fig. ...
The center of diversity of the genus Musa (Musaceae) is in Southeast Asia, a region not studied in detail and where new species and varieties continue to be reported. A new wild banana species, M. chunii Häkki- nen from Yunnan, China is described and illustrated based on observed morphological characteristics in the field. This extremely rare new species was only found in Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong District, West Yunnan. A key to M. chunii and related taxa is provided. In addition, critical notes regarding M. rubra Kurz identity are given.
... As one of the banana-producing countries, South China is on the north border of the originating center of Musa, with rich and diverse germplasm. There are an estimated 11 species in China (Li 1978;Wu and Kress 2000), and two new wild species of Musa in Yunnan were recently reported (Liu et al. 2002;Häkkinen 2009). The banana cultivars in China are primarily grouped into four groups: Xiangyajiao (AAA), Dajiao (ABB), Fenjiao (ABB), and Longyajiao (AAB). ...
We report the sequence and variability parameters of 23 microsatellite primers obtained from a commercial cultivar Gongjiao
(Musa acuminata) using selectively amplified microsatellite (SAM) analysis. Polymorphisms were evaluated in a collection of 26 banana cultivars
and 11 related species/subspecies. The mean number of alleles amplified per primer was 4.55 (range, 2–9), with a total of
100 alleles identified. The mean PIC value was 0.48 (range, 0.10–0.74). In addition, 22 markers also showed robust cross-species/genera
amplification across 11 related species/subspecies, with the exception of ‘Xiangtuijiao’ (Ensete glaucum). Unweighted pair-grouping method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis divided all the banana accessions into
three main groups. The results demonstrate the usefulness of microsatellites for identification, similarity studies, and germplasm
conservation in banana and related species.
KeywordsBanana-Cross-species/genera transferability-Genetic diversity-
Musa acuminata
-Selectively amplified microsatellite analysis-Simple sequence repeat
Background
Musaceae is an economically important family consisting of 70-80 species. Elucidation of the interspecific relationships of this family is essential for a more efficient conservation and utilization of genetic resources for banana improvement. However, the scarcity of herbarium specimens and quality molecular markers have limited our understanding of the phylogenetic relationships in wild species of Musaceae. Aiming at improving the phylogenetic resolution of Musaceae, we analyzed a comprehensive set of 49 plastomes for 48 species/subspecies representing all three genera of this family.
Results
Musaceae plastomes have a relatively well-conserved genomic size and gene content, with a full length ranging from 166,782 bp to 172,514 bp. Variations in the IR borders were found to show phylogenetic signals to a certain extent in Musa . Codon usage bias analysis showed different preferences for the same codon between species and three genera and a common preference for A/T-ending codons. Among the two genes detected under positive selection (dN/dS > 1), ycf2 was indicated under an intensive positive selection. The divergent hotspot analysis allowed the identification of four regions ( ndhF-trnL , ndhF , matK-rps16 , and accD ) as specific DNA barcodes for Musaceae species.
Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses using full plastome resulted in nearly identical tree topologies with highly supported relationships between species. The monospecies genus Musella is sister to Ensete , and the genus Musa was divided into two large clades, which corresponded well to the basic number of n = x = 11 and n = x =10/9/7, respectively. Four subclades were divided within the genus Musa . A dating analysis covering the whole Zingiberales indicated that the divergence of Musaceae family originated in the Palaeocene (59.19 Ma), and the genus Musa diverged into two clades in the Eocene (50.70 Ma) and then started to diversify from the late Oligocene (29.92 Ma) to the late Miocene. Two lineages ( Rhodochlamys and Australimusa ) radiated recently in the Pliocene /Pleistocene periods.
Conclusions
The plastome sequences performed well in resolving the phylogenetic relationships of Musaceae and generated new insights into its evolution. Plastome sequences provided valuable resources for population genetics and phylogenetics at lower taxon.
The banana family (Musaceae s.str.; Zingiberales), an economically important tropical group of plants, includes three genera, Musa, Ensete and Musella, and possibly 41 species. We performed phylogenetic analyses of a total of 39 accessions covering 28 species in the Musaceae and five outgroup species using nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast trnL‐F sequences. Outgroups were chosen from the closely related families Lowiaceae, Strelitziaceae, and Heliconiaceae. Our results suggest that Musaceae s.str. is monophyletic. Three main internal clades are well‐supported within the family. The genus Musa is comprised of two of these clades, and Musella plus Ensete make‐up the third clade. The sectional classification system of Musa based on chromosome numbers is not supported by DNA sequence evidence. Both inflorescence orientation (erect or pendent) and chromosomal number in Musa, which were characters traditionally thought to be diagnostic in sectional classification, are homoplasious traits in the family. The disjunct distribution of living members of the genus Ensete in tropical Asia and Africa with a fossil species described from the Eocene of Oregon in North America may be an example of the distributional retreat of the Boreal Tropics. The phylogenetic position of the monospecific Musella as sister to the African clade of Ensete suggests that the single species in this lineage is a highly specialized member not warranting generic status. Evidence from the molecular phylogenetic investigations highlights the evolutionary diversification and biogeographic context of this plant group, and suggests additional taxonomic investigations of both Musa and Ensete are in order.
The type material of the Vietnamese wild banana Musa splendida (Musaceae), long thought to have been lost, was recently discovered in the Paris herbarium and here designated as a lectotype. Given its poor quality, an epitype is designated for adequate application of this name. An emended description of M. splendida is provided, with information on several morphological characters not indicated in the protologue, including its oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate leaves 152-220 × 45-69 cm, erect inflorescences, ovoid-lanceolate female buds 24-28.5 × 13.7-14 cm, ovoid to ovoid-lanceolate male buds 9-22.5 × 8-13.5 cm, and bell-or mushroom-shaped seeds 5.5-7 × 6.5-9 mm. A color plate, along with information on habitat and ecology, distribution, and uses of this species, are also given.
A new species of wild banana, Musa paramjitiana L. J. Singh, from the Andaman Islands, India is described and illustrated, and its conservation status is assessed. A key to the species of Musa L. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.
Okinawa Torch, Red Flowering Banana, Red Flowering Thai Banana, Red Torch Banana, Scarlet Banana.
The published Musa L. names are listed and typifications are considerably supplemented. Typification of the names belonging to other genera of Musaceae is beyond the scope of the present study. All the synonyms discovered are also given. Altogether, 439 names were found. Of those, 110 are illegitimate and 134 are obvious "cultivars" or dubious names presented in seven publications describing mainly "variants" of cultivated bananas, viz. M. xparadisiaca, M. sapidisiaca and M sapientum. Of the 170 dubious names, Blanco (1837) described 17, Hubert (1907) five (all illegitimate), Gillet (1909) 28 (all illegitimate), Teodoro (1915) 10, Quisumbing (1919) 17 and Jacob (1952) 64 names. The names (24) by De Wildeman (1920) and de Briey, in the same book, are lectotypified through illustrations. Those names represent cultivars. Of the remaining Musa names 32 represent Ensete, Musella and one Heliconia. Altogether, 26 names, Ensete excluded, could not be typified due to the lack of original material. These names remain obscure, as the descriptions do not allow identification. Fifteen iso- or homonyms were detected. The number of proper" Musa names is about 140. In this article 69 Musa names are lectotypified and three are neotypified. Sixty-four names have a holotype, and 28 have been typified earlier. Further, three epitypes are designated here and two new combinations proposed, and three Ensete typified, as their generic placement has not been treated in the literature.
Since the initial description, the name Musa aurantiaca Baker (1893) has been unclear to most botanists. The aim of this study is to settle its true identity and to update the description. The plant is distributed in the regions of Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, India, Northern Myanmar and Tibet, China where it occurs commonly but it is not mentioned in Chinese literature at all. In this paper, the authors also review the description and the literature history of M. aurantiaca from 1893 to the present. Musa aurantiaca Baker is typified here.
In the present study Musa indandamanensis L. J. Singh is described and illustrated as a new species from Little Andaman, the Bay Islands, India.
Several investigations of Musaceae plants in southern China over the past 50 years, including extensive field trips conducted by the author in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and Hainan between 2005 and 2007, have shown that most wild banana (Musa spp.) are located in areas where there is no agriculture: on mountain slopes as high as 2250 m and in nature reserves. In those areas, the climate varies substantially. At lower elevations, the climate is tropical to subtropical, suitable for year-round flowering. At higher elevations, especially in the northern parts of Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong, the climate generally restricts flowering to the period from July to September. In December and January, cold damage can occur to the leaves. The ecology of some of these species suggests that they possess characteristics which could be of interest to breeders. For example, a newly described species, Musa yunnanensis, is found in cold locations where it withstands sub-zero temperatures, a trait that could be used to breed for tolerance to cold. For other species, the interest may lie in their resistance to diseases. For example, another newly described taxon, Musa acuminata var. chinensis, is closely related to M. acuminata ssp. burmannicoides 'Calcutta 4', which has been extensively used in breeding because of its resistance to black leaf streak disease. These two newly described taxa have in common monoclinous hermaphroditic female flowers that self-pollinate before the bract opens. Consequently, no hybrid of these two taxa has ever been observed. The author also observed ten species that belong to the Musa section, one to the Callimusa section and four to the Rhodochlamys section, in addition to two species of the genus Ensete and one species of the genus Musella. Field evaluations are needed to identify the wild species that could be used in breeding programmes.
Las especies vegetales subvaloradas son plantas marginalmente aprovechadas, aunque presentan nutrientes esenciales valiosos. El occidente cercano antioqueño se caracteriza por el crecimiento del turismo, que ha desplazado a la producción de frutales tropicales tradicionales y con ello amenaza el conocimiento local sobre su uso y manejo. Este trabajo evaluó la diversidad de plantas con potencial de integración al turismo y describió los usos y el manejo dados por la población. Se registraron 78 especies, de las cuales el 32 % reunieron las características de ser nativas, tradicionales y aceptadas por el turismo. Las especies más promisorias fueron zapote, tamarindo, corozo, iraca y algarrobo. La alta diversidad de especies y el conocimiento tradicional deben conservarse, a través de propuestas de turismo con identidad cultural.
Musa
L. was previously separated into five sections (
Eumusa
,
Rhodochlamys
,
Callimusa
,
Australimusa
and
Ingentimusa
) based on basic chromosome numbers and morphological characters. However, several molecular analyses currently support restructuring of
Musa
species into two sections,
Musa
and
Callimusa
. The application of simple sequence repeat molecular marker analysis to
Musa
phylogeny provided valuable, supplemental information about the classification of, and relationships between,
Musa
species and subspecies. Totally, 28 accessions of
Musa acuminata
Colla subspecies and varieties and 25 accessions of other
Musa
species were evaluated; 12 primers produced 91 polymorphic bands, polymorphic information content ranged from 0.4473 to 0.8394 (average = 0.7226), indicating that the primers showed a high level of polymorphism. Our results generally agreed with previous phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data. One clade comprised species of sections
Australimusa
and
Callimusa
(
X
= 10/9); most species of sections
Eumusa
and
Rhodochlamys
(
X
= 11) formed the other clade. The relationships between most species were as expected; however, some species did not conform to findings of previous studies. A wide range of variability was observed in the
M. acuminata
complex.
M. acuminata
var.
chinensis
and
M. acuminata
subsp. 522 showed the most distant relationships to other subspecies:
Musa laterita
,
Musa ornata
and
Musa velutina
clustered with
M. acuminata
var.
chinensis
, suggesting that they may constitute a secondary gene pool for the improvement of cultivated bananas. Molecular data indicated that
Musa tongbiguanensis
Chen You & Yao-Ting Wu, which was observed and described by our research group in Yunnan, China, was a distinct, new species.
A new wild species of banana Musa kamengensis Gogoi & Häkkinen, is described and illustrated. The
species is abundant in a 250 sq. km area from Jamiri, Zero point to Kimi point along Sepa Road in West
Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh, India. A key to the closely related species is provided.
Two diarylheptanoids, musaitinerins A and B, one heterodimeric phenylphenalenone musaitinerone and four known phenylphenalenones, identified as 4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-9-phenyl-1H-phenalen-1-one, musanolone E, hydroxyanigorufone and irenolone were isolated from the fruits of Musa itinerans Cheesm. Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic analyses. The antimicrobial activity of these compounds was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans; the cytotoxic activity of these compounds was also evaluated against human erythromyeloblastoid leukemia (K562) and human alveolar carcinoma epithelial (A549) cell lines, respectively. Musaitinerone and musanolone E exhibited weak effects against the A549 cell line, as compared with adriamycin. However, these two compounds did not exhibit any growth inhibition against K562 cells, S. aureus, E. coli or C. albicans. The other compounds were inactive against all of the tested cell lines and microorganisms, even at concentrations as high as 50μM.
M. acuminata (contributing genome A) and M. balbisiana (contributing genome B) are the ancestors of today’s banana and plantain cultivars, which are important food crops in the tropics. They together with other related wild species belong to the genus Musa that includes five sections, namely Eumusa, Rhodochlamys, Callimusa, Australimusa, and Ingentimusa. Demographic history and dispersal mechanisms explain their genetic diversity, both among populations and across geographical regions. Although diploid Musa wild species produce seeds, they are difficult to conserve. Hence, their genetic diversity is preserved through vegetative propagation or through tissue culture in test tubes. Plant morphology, as well as biochemical and DNA markers, has been used
for identifying Musa commercial cultivars, wild species, and subspecies. Wild diploid species are widely available in most Musa genebanks and used in breeding programs due to their host plant resistance to a broad range of pathogens and pests. Some available DNA marker systems for Musa genetic enhancement are the result from research on both M. acuminata and M. balbisiana accessions. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library from the wild banana “Calcutta 4” has become a valuable tool for Musa genomics research worldwide.
A new banana species, Musa haekkinenii, is described from northern Vietnam. It differs notably from a well-known ornamental species, M. coccinea, by inflorescence features and leaf blade shape and especially the habit, shape, size and color of the male bracts of the inflorescences and male bud shape. A mixed watercolor and ink plate is provided for the new taxon and an identification key to species of Musa sect. Callimusa is included, along with a note comparing the morphology of the seven Indo-Chinese species.
The banana family (Musaceae s.str.; Zingiberales), an economically important tropical group of plants, includes three genera, Musa, Ensete and Musella, and possibly 41 species. We performed phylogenetic analyses of a total of 39 accessions covering 28 species in the Musaceae and five outgroup species using nuclear ribosomal ITS and chloroplast trnL-F sequences. Outgroups were chosen from the closely related families Lowiaceae, Strelitziaceae, and Heliconiaceae. Our results suggest that Musaceae s.str. is monophyletic. Three main internal clades are well-supported within the family. The genus Musa is comprised of two of these clades, and Musella plus Ensete make-up the third clade. The sectional classification system of Musa based on chromosome numbers is not supported by DNA sequence evidence. Both inflorescence orientation (erect or pendent) and chromosomal number in Musa, which were characters traditionally thought to be diagnostic in sectional classification, are homoplasious traits in the family. The disjunct distribution of living members of the genus Ensete in tropical Asia and Africa with a fossil species described from the Eocene of Oregon in North America may be an example of the distributional retreat of the Boreal Tropics. The phylogenetic position of the monospecific Musella as sister to the African clade of Ensete suggests that the single species in this lineage is a highly specialized member not warranting generic status. Evidence from the molecular phylogenetic investigations highlights the evolutionary diversification and biogeographic context of this plant group, and suggests additional taxonomic investigations of both Musa and Ensete are in order.
One wild banana species, Musa yunnanensis Häkkinen & Wang Hong, and one variety of Musa L., M. acuminata Colla var. chinensis Häkkinen & Wang Hong, from Yunnan, China, are newly described and illustrated. These studies are based on observed morphological characteristics in the field and from specimens in various herbaria, and are supported by the existing literature on the Musaceae. A key to Musa yunnanensis and related taxa is provided.
Musa itinerans Cheesman (Musaceae) is dispersed across continental Southeast Asia from Northeast India to Vietnam and the adjacent islands, with only two previously described varieties. Its intraspecific taxa have not been comprehensively investigated. In this study, M. itinerans is morphologically circumscribed based on field studies in southern China. Four varieties are described as new: M. itinerans var. chinensis Häkkinen, M. itinerans var. guangdongensis Häkkinen, M. itinerans var. lechangensis Häkkinen, and M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis Häkkinen. We propose a new rank for M. itinerans subsp. annamica R. V. Valmayor, L. D. Danh & Häkkinen as M. itinerans var. annamica (R. V. Valmayor, L. D. Danh & Häkkinen) Häkkinen. A table for the distinguishing characteristics is provided for these varieties and for M. itinerans var. itinerans Cheesman. All of these studies are based on morphological characteristics observed in the field in China during 2005 and 2006, in various herbaria, and in the literature on Musaceae.
Since the early 20th century, the taxonomic identity of Musa nagensium Prain (Musaceae) has been uncertain to most botanists. The aim of this paper is to clarify the taxonomic history of M. nagensium. A new variety, M. nagensium var. hongii Häkkinen, is described and illustrated here. This rare variety of M. nagensium was found only in a small area in northwestern Yunnan, China, near the Burmese border. This study is based on observed morphological characteristics in the field and from specimens in various herbaria, and is supported by the existing literature on the Musaceae. A key to M. nagensium and related taxa is provided.
The present work is part of a continuing study to revise the old names in Musa and aims to clarify the taxonomy in the sections Rhodoclamys and Callimusa. Lectotypes are designated here for Musa sect. Callimusa and M. sect. Rhodochlamys. These sections were first erected without the indication of a type species.
Musa yunnanensis Hkkinen & H. Wang (Musaceae) is distributed across the Mekong River watershed in Yunnan, China. In the present study its intraspecific taxa are thoroughly investigated. These wild Musa species and varieties are commonly planted for animal fodder in higher elevations due to their cold tolerance. Three varieties of M. yunnanensis described here as a new taxa, M.yunnanensis var. caii Hkkinen & H. Wang, M.yunnanensis var. yongpingensis Hkkinen & H. Wang and M.yunnanensis var. jingdongensis Hkkinen & H. Wang, are morphologically described and illustrated based on data from field studies in Yunnan, China in 2005, 2006 and 2007. A table with the diagnostic characters of the new varieties, as well as for M. yunnanensis var. yunnanensis, is provided.
Random genomic probes were used to detect RFLPs in 19 Musa species and subspecies. A total of 89 phylogenetically informative alleles were scored and analyzed cladistically and phenetically. Results were in general agreement with morphology-based phylogenetic analyses, with the following exceptions: our data unambiguously places M. boman in section Australimusa, and indicates M. beccarii is very closely related to M. acuminata. Additionally, no support was found for the separation of section Rhodochlamys from section Musa. A comparison of morphology-based and RFLP-based phylogenetic analyses is presented.
A new combination in the Lowiaceae, Orchidantha chinensis T. L. Wu var. longisepala (D. Fang) T. L. Wu, as well as a new species, Alpinia jianganfeng T. L. Wu, and two new combinations, Amomum petaloideum (S. J. Tong) T. L. Wu and Roscoea cautleoides Gagnepain var. pubescens (Z. Y. Zhu) T. L. Wu, in the Zingiberaceae are proposed. Eight species names in the Lowiaceae, Musaceae, and Zingiberaceae are reduced to synonymy.