What is Glui Kai?
 

I see several of the members have this Musa, but I can't find any information about it on the web.
Can anyone help with some information about it?
Thank you!
Susan

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Hi Susan,
Kluay Kai (this is how the Thais spell it), or in Thai, Egg 'naner, belongs to the Sucrier sub group of edible 'naners. In M'sia, the equivalent is the Pisang Mas or Golden 'naner. This is a very sweet and aromatic 'naner and one of the staple varieties sold here. Kluay Kai has a couple of varieties in Thailand.

This is a medium size plant of about 7ft+/- with a yellowish medium sized p-stem. As you can see from the pix, it is named after the short roundish egg like fruits. This is a very good choice for an edible cultivar.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Yup. Pisang Mas, very much like Veinte(misspelled by GB) Cohol.

Thanks, Mr. Tog!

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Now I learned something from you Mister Chong, I didn't know the Veinte Cohol is one of the gang members.Thanks.

Know something? The Kluay Kai and Pisang Mas taste closest to the Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis of which they came from. This is the only cultivar which is almost there to the dot!

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Thanks for the beautiful photo.

:woohoonaner:

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Oops!.....Forgot to show close up of the fruits, thanks for reminding me Caloosamusa. See how short and round they are. Hence the Thais call it Egg 'naner. When ripe, it's a beautiful clean yellow.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

:jalapenonaner:Thank you Tog Tan! That is Awesome!!!!!!

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Sweet! Can't wait to get mine fruiting.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Here is SimplyBananas(Porkpi)'s post last year of photos of Veinte Cohol, Post #26 of this thread:
http://www.bananas.org/f2/veinte-coh...html#post29959

The fruits are more mature than in Mr. Tog's photos, hence, more egg shaped and more yellow, as he described.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Have you planted your Glui Kai in a more permanent location yet? Or were you talking about your VC?

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

What Tog said...

There is no "Glui" in the name. The Thai word for banana is spelled either "Gluay" or "Kluay" (and please make sure you don't forget to pronouce the "l", or it is a COMPLETELY different word, lol), but the first letter is sort of a hybrid between a "k" and a "g." Think of pronouncing a "g" and a "k" at exactly the same time. We don't have a sound like that in the U.S.!

This was the most predominant banana that I saw while in Thailand. It is literally everywhere! I did see it spelled Kluay Khai also. They are very tasty little fruits, and are very good fried also. I probably have pictures of them somewhere.

Frank

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Thank you very much, especially for the photos.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

I could be wrong about this, but I think that this is a Kluay Khai. It was taken in Thailand last year. I just didn't think to take many pics of it because it was literally everywhere.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Pauly still has it, we couldn't arrange to get themover here yet. I have been working too much. Hoping this weekend. I am anxious t see the little buggers. Thanks!

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Although they may be similar in fruit characteristics, I believe 'Veinte Cohol' to be in a different subgroup than 'Pisang Mas'. Just to keep things clear, they should not be regarded as synonymous. The most complete evaluation of 'Veinte Cohol' I can find places it in its own subgroup of AA which I believe is closer to the Inarnibal subgroup (containing 'Senorita') of AA than the Sucrier subgroup (containing 'Pisang Mas').

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Yo Frank, your pix looks like one of the varieties of the Kluay Nam Wah as the peel is a little glaucous and the tip of the fruit if more 'beaked' than the Kluay Kai. Also, the Klauy Nam Wah fruits are slightly angular. The Kluay Nam Wah has more distinct varieties than the Klauy Kai. These two cultivars make up the bulk of the 'naners consumed in Thailand.


As you can see from the pix below of the M'sian Pisang Mas which is an identical twin to the Kluay Kai, the fruits has a smooth peel and the tip is blunt. So far from the Kasaesart Research Station in Bkk, they list the following varieties besides the nominal Kluay Kai;
1. Kluay Kai Bo Lah
2. Klauy Kai Lek Yak Soh Thon
3. Kluay Kai Thong Ngaey
4. Kluay Kai Pratabong
5. Kluay Kai Thong Ruang
Their difference is in their form and taste.

Pix of Pisang Mas, the M'sian version of the Kluay Kai. As you can see the fruits are short, plump and egg like, hence the Thai name. In the background is the Pisang Raja Udang aka Cuban Red for size comparison.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Hey! You're making me hungry and jealous! I'll bet those 'naner plants would not like my 1.5 C overnight temperatures in December-January.

Excellent photos and varietal information. Thanks!

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

Thanks, Tog. I guess I didn't get any pictures of the Kluay Khai then! Oh well. Gives me yet another reason to go back, right? ;-)

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

From all the photos I’ve seen of the VC and PM, the fruits are identical, where the base and the tips are rounded or blunt, the skin shiny and tough. In comparison, Señorita fruits have pointed tips, though not quite a bottleneck shape, have thinner skins that break apart easily, almost sticking to the pulp, and not as shiny, and smaller in diameter than the VC or PM. The pulp of the VC and PM are likewise identical in color,i.e. very light golden yellow, while the Señorita is somewhat tinged with pinkish shade. That is why I think that the VC is closer to PM than Señorita.

As for reference, from “Banana Cultivar Names and Synonyms in Southeast Asia”:
In table 3. In the same subgroup: Musa acuminata Diploid AA (dessert):
Phil.: Amas = Malay: Pisang Mas = Thai: Kluai Khai

Phil.: Veinte Cohol = Malay: Pisang Masam = Thai: Kluai Hom Thong Son

(8 other variety follows before the next row)
Phil.: Inarnibal= Malay: Pisang Impat Puluh Hari = Thai: (No equivalent listed)

Phil.: Mama-on= Malay: Pisang Lemak Manis Terenganu = Thai: (No equivalent listed)

Phil.: (No equivalent listed)= Malay: (4 varieties follow)= Thai: (No equivalent listed on the following 2 rows). . . . . . .


In table 4. In the same subgroup: Musa acuminata Diploid AA (dessert):
Of the 8 entries under Philippines, only the first two entries had Malay and Thai equivalents, and only a Thai equivalent on the third:
Phil.: Bu-oy = Malay: Pisang Serindek= Thai: Kluai Lai

Phil.: Eda-an = Malay: Pisang Jarum= Thai: Kluai Nam Thai

Phil.: Ga-o = Malay: (No equivalent listed)= Thai: Kluai Thong Det

In the following 5 Philippine entries in this block, of which Señorita is listed 6th overall, there are no Malay, Indonesian, Thai or Vietnamese equivalent.

Re: What is Glui Kai?
 

From “Banana Names and Synonyms in Southeast Asia”:
4. Kluay Kai Pratabong ~Kluai Khai Bong= No Phil. nor Malay equivalent, Indon.: Pisang Potho Wangi(Musa acuminata, Triploid AAA, (dessert), (Non-Cavendish)

5. Kluay Kai Thong Ruang~Kluai Thong Ruang= Phil.: Morong Princesa= Malay: Pisang Grandis (Same sub-group as VC and PM)
. . . . . . . . . . ..

Not listed:
Musa x paradisiaca, Triploid AAB, (dessert)
Thai: Kluai Khai Boran#2= Phil.: Radja= Malay: Pisang Raja