Lady Finger banana

This article is about a banana cultivar. For other uses, see Lady finger.

Musa acuminata 'Lady Finger'
Details
Species	Musa acuminata
Cultivar group	AA Group
Cultivar	'Lady Finger'
Origin	Southeast Asia, Australia[1]

Lady Finger bananas (also known as Sugar bananas, Sucrier, Niños, Bocadillos, Fig bananas, or Date bananas) are diploid cultivars of Musa acuminata. Their fruits are small, thin-skinned, and very sweet.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

The Lady Finger banana is a diploid (AA) cultivar of the seeded banana Musa acuminata.^[2] They were once placed under the Sucrier group in the old system of classification.^[3]

Its official designation is Musa acuminata Colla (AA Group) cv. 'Lady Finger'.

Synonyms include:

• Musa acuminata Colla (AA Group) cv. 'Sucrier'
• Musa acuminata Colla (Sucrier Group) cv. 'Lady's Finger'
• Musa × paradisiaca L. cv. 'Lady Finger'
• Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Sucrier cv. 'Doigt de Femme'
• Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Saccharinus cv. 'Lady's Finger'
• Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Saccharinus cv. 'Dedo de Dama'
• Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) cv. 'Datil'
• Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) cv. 'Niño'
• Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) cv. 'Bocadillo'

It is known in English as Lady finger banana, Sugar banana, Finger banana, Fig banana, Date banana, or Sucrier. In the US, this cultivar is also known as 'Glui Kai', a name of Thai origin popularized by Agristarts. The Thai name is กล้วยไข่ (RTGS: kluai khai, IPA: [kluːəj kʰaj], lit. 'egg bana) and the Malaysian name is pisang mas. Similarly, in Cambodia, it is referred to as chek pong moan (Khmer: ចេកពងមាន់), lit. 'chicken-egg banana', where it is considered the national fruit of Cambodia by royal decree.^[4]

In Australia, the name 'Lady Finger banana' refers to another banana cultivar, the Pome banana (Musa acuminata × balbisiana Colla (AAB Group) cv. 'Pome'). In Hawaii and the West Indies, 'Lady Finger' is also used to describe the Ney Poovan banana cultivar (Musa acuminata × balbisiana Colla (AB Group) cv. 'Ney Poovan').^[2]

Description

Lady Finger bananas can grow to a height of 25 ft (7.5 m). Its pseudostem is slender and streaked with reddish brown, but it has a heavy root system that makes it resistant to wind damage. It is resistant to drought and Black Weevil, but is susceptible to Sigatoka.^[3] It blooms during mid-summer, late summer, and early fall. It is monocarpic and is propagated asexually.^[5]It is very susceptible to panama disease.

The fruit is 4 to 5 inches (10-12.5 cm) in length, and light yellow. The skin is thin and the flesh is sweet. 12 to 20 fingers are borne in each hand, with each bunch typically having 10 to 14 hands.

Uses

Lady Finger bananas are eaten fresh or used in desserts. They are known for being sweeter than the common Cavendish-type bananas.^[6]

Dwarf Lady Finger bananas, typically growing only up to 15 ft in height, are also cultivated as houseplants.

Diseases

Lady Finger are vulnerable to Black sigatoka and very susceptible to the Panama disease.

See also

• Banana
• Banana cultivar groups
• Musa
• Musa acuminata

References

1. ^ Tropical Fruit Photo Gallery: Finger Bananas, http://treesandshrubs.about.com/
2. ^ ^{a b} Michel H. Porcher; Prof. Snow Barlow (19/07/2002). "Sorting Musa names". The University of Melbourne, [1]. http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Musa.html. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Julia F. Morton (1987). "Banana Musa x paridasiaca". http://www.hort.purdue.edu/. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/banana.html. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
4. ^ http://www.forestry.gov.kh/Documents/ROYAL-DECREE-ENG.pdf The Royal Decree states the chicken egg banana is known as Musa aromatica but this is an outdated taxonomic name still used in Cambodia. This cultivar is also known as kluai khai in Thailand which has a similar meaning, that being "Egg Banana." And it is known as pisang mas in Malaysia in which they can be found to be synonyms for the Lady's Finger Banana.
5. ^ PlantFiles: Banana, Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Lady Finger', Dave's garden http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/99343/
6. ^ Banana, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/