Banana Science!

Banana related username · 04-30-2009, 03:34 AM

I have noticed that bananas have three distinct segments into which they can be separated. Whenever I bring this up I am hounded by the ignorant clods who just want to eat there bananas in peace; the only person I have ever met who also noticed this was a bus-driver who may well have been humouring me (Me: Hey buddy, have you ever noticed that bananas have three distinct segments into which they can be separated?
Karl (the bus-driver): Yes. Yes I have. Now would you kindly get off my bus.)
So, my question is: Can anybody out there in Banana Land explain to me why this is so, the segments, not my banishment from the local public transport-services, giving reference to the 'foetal'(or the banana equivalent) development of the banana.

Regards, Sam.

Gabe15 · 04-30-2009, 05:52 AM

Welcome Sam!

Each one of those segments is called a locule, bananas have trilocular ovaries (each ovary, aka fruit, has three locules...pretty simple). Bananas are monocots, and monocots generally have floral parts in multiples of three. So to confirm your observation, what you are seeing is the divisions of the three locules within the single ovary. A fun way to exaggerate this is to peel a banana and push down directly into the fruit from the top, the locules should all split apart rather nicely.

Bananaman88 · 04-30-2009, 06:08 AM

Welcome to the org, Sam! You'll find plenty of like-minded inquisitive folks here, so jump right in.

Caloosamusa · 04-30-2009, 07:34 AM

Welcome to the organization Sam!

Your questions are welcome in this community and help others by adding to the body of knowledge.

harveyc · 04-30-2009, 08:41 AM

Welcome!

In all honesty, I never noticed that before. Sadly, I don't have a banana right now to check it out on!

momoese · 04-30-2009, 11:05 AM

I'll go pick a Cavendish of the plant right now and see.

Alex · 04-30-2009, 11:14 AM

I first noticed these 3 segments/locules when I was a little boy. I liked to take my bananas apart and eat each segment separately. Now I just jam the banana in my mouth.

harveyc · 04-30-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momoese

I'll go pick a Cavendish of the plant right now and see.

Cool, some drama!!!

Please post a photo....

momoese · 04-30-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

Cool, some drama!!!

Please post a photo....

CookieCows · 04-30-2009, 03:24 PM

I'm experiencing high levels of zone envy here .... along with learning new things. I'll now get up and go over to the fruit bowl and try this out with my store bought bananas

buzzwinder · 04-30-2009, 03:51 PM

Welcome to the Org. Sam!

Banana related username · 05-01-2009, 02:20 AM

Thank you very much Gabe15. Do the three locules develop separately and join together? Also, can some kind of conjoined banana twins develop from a locule growing out of control?

lorax · 05-01-2009, 10:10 AM

The conjoined banana twins are normally called double-fingers. In that case you get six locules joined along the vertical axis of two of them.

Like so.

Gabe knows exactly what causes this (I don't) but it's fairly common in some varieties. I had an entire bunch of Dwarf Cavendish fruit turn out doubled except for two bananas, and I'd expect it's a chance mutation since the pups of that plant put out normal bunches.

chong · 05-01-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorax

The conjoined banana twins are normally called double-fingers. In that case you get six locules joined along the vertical axis of two of them.

Like so.

Gabe knows exactly what causes this (I don't) but it's fairly common in some varieties. I had an entire bunch of Dwarf Cavendish fruit turn out doubled except for two bananas, and I'd expect it's a chance mutation since the pups of that plant put out normal bunches.

Then there is the mutant from Saba called Praying Hands. Here the fingers are all stuck together in each hand.

Banana related username · 05-08-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorax

The conjoined banana twins are normally called double-fingers. In that case you get six locules joined along the vertical axis of two of them.

Like so.

Gabe knows exactly what causes this (I don't) but it's fairly common in some varieties. I had an entire bunch of Dwarf Cavendish fruit turn out doubled except for two bananas, and I'd expect it's a chance mutation since the pups of that plant put out normal bunches.

My God! That is amazing, where can I get one?

P.S. Thank you very much to all who replied, it was much appreciated.

Tog Tan · 05-09-2009, 11:53 AM

The culprit of a Malaysian cultivar which always produce double joes is the Pisang Rastali. Though not as mutated as Beth's particular DC, it is very common coming from this cultivar.

As you can see from the pix, this is the kampong or home grown type and when allowed to slightly ripen on the plant, it will show tremendous number of dark sugar spots and streaks. Ugly? Super tasting fruit which is my personal staple among all the cultivars here. It is sweet with an acidic tang. Super!

Michael_Andrew · 05-09-2009, 11:58 AM

Tog you eat them chunks of wood in your basket too?

Tog Tan · 05-09-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael_Andrew

Tog you eat them chunks of wood in your basket too?

Smart boy!

Those are resin encrusted wood of the Aquilaria malaccensis aka Agarwood. You know, the stuff the Arabs use like crazy? It is also known as The Wood of the Gods which is endemic to our region. In weight, it is more costlier than gold. It is one of the projects of my business in the R&D of this tree for commercial planting. Historically, it has been in use pre Biblical times.

Michael_Andrew · 05-09-2009, 02:42 PM

Interesting. The resin is caused from the tree being infected with mold resulting in a pleasing aroma? Cool. Sounds like and kinda looks like the spalted maple I cut into boards I have in the basement. I guess the difference is mine smells like mold. I made raised panel doors for my kitchen from Ambrosia Maple. The Ambrosia Beetle bores a hole in the wood and the resulting fungus makes distinct markings in the wood. So Tog if you plants the trees how will you infect it?

Michael

Tog Tan · 05-10-2009, 12:54 PM

Michael, I have sinned enough wrecking threads!

Please check this thread for your answer;
Genus Aquilaria - Wood of the Gods

Cya there!

04-30-2009, 03:34 AM	#1 (permalink)
Banana related username Location: a very un-banana friendly region of melbourne Find me on the map! Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3 BananaBucks : 27,816 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Banana Science! I have noticed that bananas have three distinct segments into which they can be separated. Whenever I bring this up I am hounded by the ignorant clods who just want to eat there bananas in peace; the only person I have ever met who also noticed this was a bus-driver who may well have been humouring me (Me: Hey buddy, have you ever noticed that bananas have three distinct segments into which they can be separated? Karl (the bus-driver): Yes. Yes I have. Now would you kindly get off my bus.) So, my question is: Can anybody out there in Banana Land explain to me why this is so, the segments, not my banishment from the local public transport-services, giving reference to the 'foetal'(or the banana equivalent) development of the banana. Regards, Sam.

04-30-2009, 05:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,370,664 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,243 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Banana Science! Welcome Sam! Each one of those segments is called a locule, bananas have trilocular ovaries (each ovary, aka fruit, has three locules...pretty simple). Bananas are monocots, and monocots generally have floral parts in multiples of three. So to confirm your observation, what you are seeing is the divisions of the three locules within the single ovary. A fun way to exaggerate this is to peel a banana and push down directly into the fruit from the top, the locules should all split apart rather nicely. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

04-30-2009, 06:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 237,027 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Banana Science! Welcome to the org, Sam! You'll find plenty of like-minded inquisitive folks here, so jump right in.

04-30-2009, 07:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
Caloosamusa Caloosamusa's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,578 BananaBucks : 28,506 Feedback: 1 / 67% Said "Thanks" 3,829 Times Was Thanked 1,556 Times in 675 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 334 Times	Re: Banana Science! Welcome to the organization Sam! Your questions are welcome in this community and help others by adding to the body of knowledge.

04-30-2009, 08:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,119 BananaBucks : 303,066 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,025 Times Was Thanked 4,460 Times in 1,896 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Re: Banana Science! Welcome! In all honesty, I never noticed that before. Sadly, I don't have a banana right now to check it out on! __________________

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04-30-2009, 11:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,590 BananaBucks : 66,793 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,754 Times Was Thanked 10,888 Times in 3,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 729 Times	Re: Banana Science! I'll go pick a Cavendish of the plant right now and see.

04-30-2009, 11:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
Alex Alex's Photo Gallery Location: Tucson, AZ Find me on the map! Zone: 9-10 Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 35 BananaBucks : 4,700 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 41 Times in 21 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 20 Times	Re: Banana Science! I first noticed these 3 segments/locules when I was a little boy. I liked to take my bananas apart and eat each segment separately. Now I just jam the banana in my mouth.

04-30-2009, 03:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
CookieCows Member CookieCows's Photo Gallery Location: Kentucky Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: Deb Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,182 BananaBucks : 75,944 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,347 Times Was Thanked 696 Times in 393 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 159 Times	Re: Banana Science! I'm experiencing high levels of zone envy here .... along with learning new things. I'll now get up and go over to the fruit bowl and try this out with my store bought bananas __________________

04-30-2009, 03:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
buzzwinder buzzwinder's Photo Gallery Location: Loves Park, Il. Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bill Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 871 BananaBucks : 13,060 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,043 Times Was Thanked 846 Times in 354 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,155 Times	Re: Banana Science! Welcome to the Org. Sam! __________________ Bill for my friend

05-01-2009, 02:20 AM	#12 (permalink)
Banana related username Location: a very un-banana friendly region of melbourne Find me on the map! Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3 BananaBucks : 27,816 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Banana Science! Thank you very much Gabe15. Do the three locules develop separately and join together? Also, can some kind of conjoined banana twins develop from a locule growing out of control?

05-01-2009, 10:10 AM	#13 (permalink)
lorax Banned lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 13 / Köppen-Geiger BSh Name: Lorax Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,532 BananaBucks : 322,425 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 742 Times Was Thanked 3,040 Times in 1,188 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 464 Times	Re: Banana Science! The conjoined banana twins are normally called double-fingers. In that case you get six locules joined along the vertical axis of two of them. Like so. Gabe knows exactly what causes this (I don't) but it's fairly common in some varieties. I had an entire bunch of Dwarf Cavendish fruit turn out doubled except for two bananas, and I'd expect it's a chance mutation since the pups of that plant put out normal bunches.

05-09-2009, 11:53 AM	#16 (permalink)
Tog Tan Ensete nut Tog Tan's Photo Gallery Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Name: Tog Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,757 BananaBucks : 447,651 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,011 Times Was Thanked 2,723 Times in 787 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: Banana Science! The culprit of a Malaysian cultivar which always produce double joes is the Pisang Rastali. Though not as mutated as Beth's particular DC, it is very common coming from this cultivar. As you can see from the pix, this is the kampong or home grown type and when allowed to slightly ripen on the plant, it will show tremendous number of dark sugar spots and streaks. Ugly? Super tasting fruit which is my personal staple among all the cultivars here. It is sweet with an acidic tang. Super! __________________ ____ Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

05-09-2009, 11:58 AM	#17 (permalink)
Michael_Andrew Michael_Andrew's Photo Gallery Location: Toledo, Ohio Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Michael Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 517 BananaBucks : 70,925 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 248 Times Was Thanked 384 Times in 182 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 226 Times	Re: Banana Science! Tog you eat them chunks of wood in your basket too?

05-09-2009, 02:42 PM	#19 (permalink)
Michael_Andrew Michael_Andrew's Photo Gallery Location: Toledo, Ohio Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Michael Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 517 BananaBucks : 70,925 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 248 Times Was Thanked 384 Times in 182 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 226 Times	Re: Banana Science! Interesting. The resin is caused from the tree being infected with mold resulting in a pleasing aroma? Cool. Sounds like and kinda looks like the spalted maple I cut into boards I have in the basement. I guess the difference is mine smells like mold. I made raised panel doors for my kitchen from Ambrosia Maple. The Ambrosia Beetle bores a hole in the wood and the resulting fungus makes distinct markings in the wood. So Tog if you plants the trees how will you infect it? Michael

05-10-2009, 12:54 PM	#20 (permalink)
Tog Tan Ensete nut Tog Tan's Photo Gallery Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Name: Tog Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,757 BananaBucks : 447,651 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,011 Times Was Thanked 2,723 Times in 787 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: Banana Science! Michael, I have sinned enough wrecking threads! Please check this thread for your answer; Genus Aquilaria - Wood of the Gods Cya there! __________________ ____ Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

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