Ensete superbum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ensete superbum |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Ensete superbum at the United States Botanic Garden | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ensete
|
| Species: |
superbum
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Musa superba Roxb. |
|
Ensete superbum is a special kind of banana plant that grows in India. It's sometimes called the "rock banana" because it can grow in rocky places.
Where It Grows
This amazing banana plant is mostly found in the Western Ghats and Anaimalai Hills in South India. You can also spot it in other hilly areas, like around Dindigul.
It has even been seen far away in North India, in places like Jhadol and Ogna forests in Rajasthan. Scientists have also heard about a similar plant growing in Thailand. But this plant has not yet been officially named by scientists.
What It Looks Like
Ensete superbum plants can grow very tall, up to about 12 feet (3.6 meters) high! The main stem, called a pseudostem, can be half that height. Its base can swell up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) around.
The leaves are bright green on both sides. They have a short stem called a petiole, which has a deep groove. The parts of the leaf that wrap around the stem stay on the plant. They leave clear marks on the underground stem, called a corm.
The fruits are about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. They are somewhat triangular in shape and contain dark brown seeds. During the dry season, the top parts of the plant die. But the corm, which is like a bulb, stays alive underground. New leaves grow from the corm when the rainy season, called the monsoon, begins.
