bigdog

Kyle, I believe that to be the case. I can't factually confirm that though. Maybe if a botanist would examine the clumps at Leu Gardens, key in hand, then we would know for sure. I will say that so far, I can't find any part of the official description that does not match the plants in question (but I've never had one flower in my climate, so I can't examine the inflorescence and fruit closely). I want some expert botanists to examine plants in cultivation, so we can get names correct before the real Musa itinerans starts becoming widely available (which I don't think will be very long).

The article mentions that monkeys and bats are primarily responsible for seed dispersal. It says that seeds are "nearly flat, wrinkled, ca. 3.5 mm diam., 80-100 seeds per fruit." It also mentions that M. yunnanensis is affined to a M. acuminata group.

Another interesting part of the article describes several species found in the Yunnan province in areas where seasonal frosts occur:" Ensete glaucum (Roxburgh) Cheesman, Musa acuminata Colla, M. balbisiana Colla, M. basjoo Siebolt, and M. itinerans Cheesman, as well as other misidentified banana species."

I'd be curious as to which M. acuminata variety is cold-hardy.

Novon is published by The Missouri Botanical Garden Press, and is a journal for botanical nomenclature. It's pretty much dedicated solely to describing new species, renaming, or reclassifying known species. It's only been around since 1991. For citation purposes, this volume is Volume 17, no. 4, pp. 440-446. I know that the Musa itinerans is supposed to cleared up in an upcoming issue of Novon, so I've been keeping my eyes peeled for it!