banana

Pronunciation key ( bə-nan′ə )

ba•nan•a

n.

[ Sp. & Port. ].

1. Tropical treelike plant related to plantains with long, broad leaves and large clusters of fruit.
2. The fruit. A narrow, somewhat curved, flesh-colored fleshy fruit with a yellow or reddish skin.

Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom	Plantae – Vegetal, plants
Subkingdom	Viridaeplantae – green plants
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta – land plants
Division	Tracheophyta – vascular plants
Subdivision	Spermatophytina – spermatophytes, seed plants
Infradivision	Angiospermae – flowering plants, angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida
Superorder	Lilianae – monocots, monocotyledons
Order	Zingiberales
Family	Musaceae – banana
Genus	Musa L. – banana
Direct Children:
Species	Musa acuminata Colla – edible banana
Species	Musa balbisiana Colla – plantain, banana
Species	Musa ornata Roxb.
Species	Musa X paradisiaca L. (pro sp.) – banana, plantain, French plantain
Species	Musa textilis Née – Manila-hemp, abaca, abaca
Species	Musa troglodytarum L. – fe'i banana
Species	Musa velutina H. Wendl. & Drude – pink velvet banana, hairy banana

References and Further Reading

Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955

Musa L., Taxonomic Serial No.: 42388

Banana Seeds