Banana

Plate 275 from volume 3 of William Roxburgh’s ‘Plants of the coast of Coromandel: selected from drawings and descriptions presented to the hon. court of directors of the East India Company’ published under the direction of botanist Sir Joseph Banks.

Roxburgh writes, ‘The varieties of the Banana cultivated over India are very numerous; but fewer of the Plantain, as I have hitherto obtained knowledge of only three [plantain], whereas, I may safely say, not less than ten times that number of the former [banana] have come under my inspection. Their duration, culture, habit, and natural character, are already well known. I will therefore confine myself to (what I think) the original wild Musa, from which, I conclude, all the cultivated varieties (of both Plantain and Banana) proceed.’

Musa sapientum is now known as Musa × paradisiaca. It is cultivated and eaten both cooked and raw.

Object Summary

Accession Loan No.
581/1997/6
Collection Class
Prints
Medium
print on paper
Common Name
banana
Simple Name
print
Inscription Transcription
Musa sapientum; 275
Production Town
Production Date
1820
Production Person Initials
George
Production Person Surname
W. Bulmer and CoNicolMackenzieunknown Indian artist
Production Year Low
Production Year High

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Musa sapientum