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View Full Version : Brazilian, Orinoco, or Something Else


Clare_CA
05-04-2011, 10:39 AM
I'm hoping Gabe or another expert at identification can help to confirm the identity of this Stokes Tropicals banana. It was purchased as Brazilian, but some members here thought it might be Orinoco. I've been searching for pictures of both fruit, but I can't tell one way or another. I guess I don't really know what to look for that distinguishes one species from another when it comes to bananas. The flower formed at the end of November and had to deal with winter here.

Thanks!

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l153/Clare_CA/042811009.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l153/Clare_CA/bananas/031311013.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l153/Clare_CA/bananas/010811041.jpg

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l153/Clare_CA/bananas/112410001.jpg

Gabe15
05-04-2011, 12:38 PM
I agree with 'Orinoco'.

nullzero
05-04-2011, 04:18 PM
Looks very similar to the Dwarf Orinoco I am growing.

Clare_CA
05-04-2011, 05:30 PM
:waving:Thank you both. I appreciate the help.

venturabananas
05-14-2011, 10:48 AM
Clare, the following document explains some of the basics of banana cultivar identification:

http://bananas.bioversityinternational.org/files/files/pdf/publications/synonyms.pdf

But as Gabe regularly points out, it's not all that easy with about 1000 cultivars out there, many misidentified, different growth habitats under different conditions, etc.

In this case, the fact that the plant came from a source in the US and the bunch structure is "lax" (not tightly spaced fingers and hands), points with pretty high certainty to Orinoco.