Musa along with Musella and Ensete are the three genera of the Musaceae. Sagot (1887) and Baker (1893) distinguished three subgene-ra for the genus Musa: Physocaulis, Eumusa, and Rhodochlamys. Cheesman (1947) then divided Musa into four sections: Australimusa, Callimusa, Eumusa, and Rhodochlamys based on chromosome numbers and morphological characters. This classification remains widely accepted by botanists. Most of the species in sections Callimusa and Rhodochlamys are characterized by having inflorescences that are erect, at least at the base, with fruit pointing towards the bunch apex. These species also typically have relatively few fruits and are best known for their brightly coloured bracts, a feature that makes them popular as ornamental plants. This paper focuses on nine Musa species of the section Rhodochlamys. Seven of these species (Musa ornata, M. laterita, M. velutina, M. rosea, M. manna, M. rubra, M. aurantiaca) are well recognized and described; and the remaining two, M. siamensis and M. sanguinea, are less well known and are of somewhat less definite status.
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