banana
is the common name for herbaceous plants of the
genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. It is one of the
oldest cultivated plants. They are native to tropical South and
Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first domesticated in
Papua New Guinea. Today, they are cultivated throughout the
tropics. They are grown in at least 107 countries, primarily for
their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make fibre, banana wine and
as ornamental plants. Its fruits, rich in starch, grow in clusters
hanging from the top of the plant. They come in a variety of sizes
and colours when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red. Almost
all modern edible parthenocarpic bananas come from two wild
species – Musa acuminate and Musa balbisiana. The scientific
names of bananas are Musa acuminate, Musa balbisiana or
hybrids Musa acuminate balbisiana, depending on their genomic
constitution. The old scientific names Musa sapientum and Musa
paradisiacal are no longer used