Rediscovery of Musa splendida A. Chevalier and description of two new species (Musa viridis and Musa lutea)

• Authors : Valmayor, R.V.; Danh, L.D.; Häkkinen, M.


• Document type : Journal article


• Year of publication : 2004


• Journal title : The Philippine Agricultural Scientist


• Volume (number) : 87 (1)




• Pages : 110-118


• Peer-reviewed : Yes


• ISSN : 0031-7454


• Language(s) : English


• Abstract : Musa splendida A. Chevalier, known in Vietnam as Chuoi Gai, is a very rare species of wild banana which was drifting toward oblivion. Cheesman (1947), who revised the classification of the bananas, simply mentioned the term M. splendida but did not include its description in his monumental series “Critical Notes on Species” published in Kew Bulletin from 1947 to 1950. Simmonds (1962) doubted the status of M. splendida as a valid species and Champion (1967) associated it with M. sanguinea Hook. f. and M. laterita Cheesman, two distinct and widely recognized species of the genus Musa. The leading banana taxonomists of the world seemed prepared to relegate the scientific epithet M. splendida as species ignota. However, some elderly people in Vietnam maintain that 'Chuoi Gai' exists between Lao Cai and Sa Pa. Dr. Inge Van den Bergh, INIBAP Associate Expert at VASI, surveyed the original home of Musa splendida and discovered large populations still thriving in the Red River Valley, near Lac Cai.


• Keywords : TAXONOMY; WILD SPECIES; VIETNAM


• Open access : Yes


• Document on publisher's site : View article on publisher's site


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• Musalit document ID : IN040411

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