Uht in menileh

Image could not obtained due to inclement weather which prevented a photo journey to Parem in the Fall of 2000. Future work could include work on images and cultural aspects.

  1. Genus species: Musa spp.
  2. Family: Musaceae
  3. English name: Banana
  4. Chuukese name:
  5. Kosrean name:
  6. Pohnpeian name: Uht in menileh
  7. Mwokilese name:
  8. Yapese name:
  9. Growth form: tree
  10. Growth location: terrestrial
  11. Growth environment: cultivated garden
  12. Growth zone: tropical
  13. Average height: 3.0-7.0m
  14. Stem: non-woody, smooth, made from tightly rolled spiral leaf bases
  15. Leaf arrangement: whorled, simple
  16. Stipule:
  17. Petioles: .3-.5m
  18. Leaf blade: Oblong, marjin is entire, refuse tip, slightly shiny surface, parallel venation opposite to rachis, light green, 3.0m in length
  19. Infloresence: complex spike
  20. Floral bracts: ovate, reddish
  21. Flower: nodal clusters in two rows, zygomorphic, lower basal produce female flowers 5-15 basal nodes, upper or distal nodes produce male flowers, in between upper and lower basal nodes are sterile flowers, flower clusters are arranged spirally(S.L. Kochar, Tropical Crops)
  22. Calyx: fused
  23. Corolla: undetermined
  24. Stamens: contains five on the male flowers which produce unfunctional pollen
  25. Ovary: inferior
  26. Pistil:
  27. Fruit: berry, endocarp fleshy, simple fruit,green when not ripe, yellow when ripe
  28. Seed: none observed, brown specks in the center of the fruit represent ovule reminants
  29. Anything else: most important and most widely grown tropical plant
  30. Cultural usage: leaf is used for uhmw, wrapping food and umbrella, trunk is used for various medicinal purposes