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marenmar
05-13-2009, 03:05 PM
Hi,
since I was wondering which species of musa balbisiana i'm growing i started a search.

Musa balbisiana
Musa balbisiana Colla
Musa balbisiana Colla - M. Liukiuensis...Japanese Basho Banana....still not sure. Maybe someone can help me?

During the search I found a nice banana info source:
Banana Bioversity International -- - Banana Home (http://bananas.bioversityinternational.org/)
where you can download the musalogue (http://bananas.bioversityinternational.org/files/files/pdf/publications/musalogue2.pdf) (If you don't already know it by heart) :ha:

The seeds look like this (pictures of the sprout are in my gallery):
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17281&ppuser=3908><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=17281&size=1 border=0></a>

Gabe15
05-13-2009, 03:21 PM
There are many forms of M. balbisiana, most are not officially described however. It is unlikely it would be the liukiuensis form, it is likely something more average. The photos of the seeds you posted are definitely M. balbisiana, but other then that we cannot give a more precise name.

marenmar
05-14-2009, 11:57 AM
Thanks Gabe15!!!
I was wondering if you could mark the difference between the Liukiuensis plants and the more average form of Balbisiana? Some characteristics to identify the type?

I am not familiar with the Balbisiana but the seller told me it was a Japanese Fiber banana. By now I know the chance for it to be the Liukiuensis is small (they can sell me anything) but can you tell me what the average form is?

Average, or not, I am very happy with it because this is my first sprout, and my first Balbisiana :2745:

Gabe15
05-14-2009, 01:24 PM
There are some small, highly detailed differences between the various M. balbisiana forms, but one of thing I noticed that was easily recognizable, consistent and apparently unique to var. liukiuensis was the immature fruit color. All other M. balbisiana I have seen have waxy green immature fruit whereas the var. liukiuensis is very very pale green, perhaps closer to white than green. I have seen 2 living specimens of var. liukiuensis and countless living specimens of other M. balbisiana forms, but unfortunately I cannot locate any photos of the var. liukiuensis I have seen.