象头蕉 xiang tou jiao

Musa wilsonii Tutcher, Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 32: 450. 1902.

Pseudostem conical, ca. 1.7 m tall (measured to crown of leaves at maturity), 38--45 cm in diam. at base, 18--20 cm in diam. immediately below basal leaves of crown. Petiole ca. 60 cm, deeply channeled; leaf blade oblong, 3.3--4 m × 60--70 cm, base truncate to slightly cordate, apex acute. Inflorescence ca. 1 m, ca. 38 cm. in diam. at base, 10--13 cm in diam. at apex. Bracts green, persistent, proximal ones lanceolate, ca. 30 cm, distal ones ovate, much shorter than proximal ones. Flowers 15--20 per bract. Tepals white; compound tepal ca. 5 cm, apex 3-lobed, lobes free or laxly coherent; free tepal short, less than 1/2 as long as compound tepal, apex 3-cuspidate, central cusp linear, large. Berries golden yellow, trigonous clavate, 9--11.5 × ca. 4 cm, pulpy. Seeds ca. 20, black, 1--1.3 cm in diam., angled, slightly wrinkled. Fl. Jun, fr. Oct.

* Wild or cultivated in fertile soil in ravines; near sea level to 2700 m. Yunnan.

The species is used to feed pigs.