BANANA MORPHOLOGY

Banana (Musa paradisiaca) is one type of tropical plant that is a leading horticultural commodity in Indonesia. Bananas have rhizome roots and do not have taproots that originate from stem tubers. The banana stem is actually located in the soil, namely in the form of stem tubers. At the top of the stem tuber there is a growing point that produces leaves and at some point will grow banana flowers (heart), while the one that stands upright on the ground and is often considered a stem is a pseudo stem.

This pseudo stem is formed from long leaf sheaths that cover each other strongly and compactly so that they can stand upright like a plant stem, therefore, the pseudo stem is often considered the real banana plant stem. The height of this pseudo stem ranges from 3.5-7.5 meters, depending on the type

Leaves
Banana leaf blades are formed into elongated lanceolates that are spread out with the lower part of the leaf appearing waxy. This leaf is strengthened by a leaf stalk that is between 30-40 cm long.

Flowers
Banana flowers are also called banana hearts because their shape resembles a heart. Banana flowers are classified as unisexual, that is, they have one house in one bunch. The flower-bearing leaves are usually tightly packed and arranged in a spiral. The protective leaves are dark red, waxy, and easily fall off, measuring 10-25 cm long. The flowers are arranged in two transverse rows, namely the female flowers are below the male flowers (if any). Five tent leaves are attached to a height with a length of 6-7 cm. The threads of the 5 pieces on the female flowers are formed imperfectly. In female flowers there are square-shaped ovaries, while in male flowers there are no ovaries.

Fruit
Usually after the flower comes out, a single ovary unit is formed which is called a comb. The first comb that is formed will continue to lengthen to form the second, third, and so on combs. In this condition, the banana heart should be cut because it can no longer produce combs.

What are the morphological differences between kluthuk and kepok bananas?

Kluthuk banana have some characteristic; Tree height 3 m with a trunk circumference of 60-70 cm, green with or without blackish brown spots. Leaf length 60-200 cm, sometimes coated with wax and difficult to tear. Fruit bunches reach a length of 80-100 cm.  The flower is oval, the outer petals are purple and the inner ones are red. Fruit combs number 5-7 combs and each comb contains 12-18 fruits that are tightly arranged, triangular or rectangular in cross-section, thick skinned. White or yellowish flesh, less sweet taste, slightly rough texture.

Besides that, morphology of the Kepok Banana plant had a green color, stem diameter 24 cm wide, 227 cm high, brown roots there are white fibrous roots, leaves are dark and light green, and the edges of the leaves are flat, the tips of the leaves are rounded. The flower stalk is 7-8 cm, the color is yellowish red the flowers are white inside, the length of the fruit is 13 cm and the diameter is 3 cm.