Hi Frank,
Let me say that with regards to taxonomy, I'm more of a splitter than a lumper. That is – if a very similar species is from a totally different provenance, I would prefer to give it a subspecies epithet that identifies it as a different provenance. Example:
Musa balbisiana var. liukiuensis coming from the Ryukyu.
If you work in the field you tend to look for how different things are, if you work in a laboratory you're looking for similarities.
Everyone will agree that a St. Bernard is a very different dog than a Chihuahua yet they're both called
Canis lupus.
With regards to plants, everyone is keen to pick on the slightest little difference to suggest it's something different. For me, I just like to know from what provenance it originates from. After all, this is a good indicator to the plant's preferences – like it's cold-hardiness for example.
But that's the problem I have with
Musa insularimontana. I don't think it is from a different provenance. But I do think it has some minor differences, but is this enough to call it something different? I guess the name, for want of a basic identification should be called:
Musa itinerans var. insularimontana. That way, any that are grown in cultivation won't be confused with the others.
Yes! I have plants growing side-by-side, but I don't have them flowering, and I can see little difference. I think it best that I show you pictures from wild specimens.
I'll put
Musa insularimontana pictures on the left and similar
Musa itinerans var. formosana pictures to the right. (I'll put a caption under each picture just in case you get confussed.
insularimontana fruits | formosana fruits
Musa insularimontana quite yellow looking | This is a very unusual (almost completely yellow Musa itinerans var. formosana bud from high elevation.
insularimontana fruits almost like var kavalanensis but not all like this | formosana fruits very red
insularimontana fruits | formosana fruits
insularimontana | formosana
insularimontana stems are few and well spaced | formosana grows in massive groups and not so well spaced
insularimontana - this is a lonesome individual I found in a mountain ravine | formosana
insularimontana - this and the next few are in the dissused yam paddy on Red Head mountain | formosana - can grow very tall
insularimontana | formosana high elevation in conifer forest
insularimontana | formosana high elevation plants often lose the bright red colour on the stem and fruits
insularimontana | formosana high elevation