BOTANY Higher Secondary Second Year - Textbooks Online

Androecium
Stamens 6, in two whorls of 3 each, arranged opposite to the
tepals. Only 5 stamens are fertile and the inner posterior stamen is
either absent or represented by a staminode. Anthers are dithecous and
they dehisce by vertical slits. The filament is filiform and rudimentary
ovary or pistillode is often present in the male flower.
Gynoecium
Ovary inferior, tricarpellary, syncarpous, trilocular, numerous
ovules on axile placentation. The style is simple and filiform. The
stigma is three lobed.
Fruit
An elongated fleshy berry and the seeds are not produced in
cultivated varities.
Floral formulae
Male flower .. Br., Ebrl., ⊗, , P , A , G .
(3+2)+1 3+3 0
Female flower .. Br., Ebrl., ⊗, , P , A , G .
(3+2)+1 0 (3)
Bisexual flower .. Br., Ebrl., ⊗, , P , A , G .
(3+2)+1 3+3 (3)
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
1. Food plants
The fruits of Musa paradisiaca (Banana) are edible. The tender
green bananas, the shaft and the flowers are cooked and eaten as
vegetable. The leaves are commonly used as plates on festive occassions.
The sap obtained from the sheathy leaf bases is considered to be an
antidote for cobra bite. The small fruits obtained from Musa chinensis
(Dwarf banana) are sweet and edible.
2. Fibre plant
The fibres obtained from sheathy leaf bases of Musa textilis
(Manila hemp) are woven into Abaca cloth and used for cordage. It is
also known as Manila hemp. This plant is extensively grown in
Philippines.
3. Ornamental plants
Ravenala madagascariensis (Traveller’s palm), Strelitzia reginae
(the bird of paradise flower) and Heliconia sp. are grown as
ornamentals.
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