Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Of the 4 species of wild musa found in Malaysia, this is the most common.
I wanted to highlight this plant sometime ago but I just didn't know how to get about it! It's so common here that I (personally) find nothing special about it. Over here, it is a weed. It grows everywhere, in the bushes, forests, in the city and even in the center of housing areas. Nobody cares to rid of it and they are much tolerated especially by the Malay population here.

As we all know, the M-a is the progenitor of most edible 'naner cultivars and how true it is! If you get the chance to taste the seeded fruit, you will know. It is very aromatic and very sweet, except that the fruit is basically a seed pod, chock full of it. The Malays have a recipe for a dessert which they extract the pulp of the fruit and mix it with flour. Each fruit has approx 90-105 sds. Imagine a bunch!

First impression of this sp is the undersurface of the leaf. It is a waxy white in color and it can be seen from a distance away as evident in the photo. The upper surface is a matte green. When young, it often has maroon red blotches. Most fade away when the plant is about 3-4ft tall. Call me an optimist, I am still looking for an adult plant with colored leaves! The mid rib is yellow both at the top and bottom of the leaf.

This plant grows to a p-stem height of about 9ft. Most flower and fruit at about 6-7ft. The bud is a beautiful Carmine red. This is a very tolerant sp as it can be seen growing in all sorts of conditions, from very wet to very dry.
Up to now, I am still amazed (and still taking pix) of the seedlings' leaves. They tend to have bluish iridescent on the uppersurface caused by the presence of wax. Just lovely!

Parts of the plant are used by the different races here. It's leaves are used to wrap cooked food and as a wrap in steaming food. Many just use it as a disposable plate of sort especially by the Indians. The Indians also use whole plants which are cut with the flower and propped up as a decoration for ceremonies.
In the past, the p-stem is cut into small sections and used as a supplementary pig fodder. The bud is eaten raw or cooked here as a salad.

In its natural habitat, it is not seen in the understorey of the forest. They are abundant in the open areas whether dry or next to a stream. Sunlight is very important for it. I have observed that birds or small mammal such as monkeys seem to eat only the fruits which are ripen on the plant. Raw fruits are always untouched, but once it ripens, it is gone in a very short time.

For more pix, pls check my photo gallery for the M-a Album:ha:

Baby Blue! All sdlgs have a certain amount of blue iridescent on the uppersurfarce. This is the 'bluest' I have seen so far.


The undersurface of the leaf is a waxy white. Lucky me, the breeze helped me to get this pix. Really stark against the dark forest background.


A typical habitat of the M-a-s-m. Open forest area with lots of sun light.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, I really enjoyed your article and pictures. Even though this subspecies may be considered a weed in your neck of the woods, I think this would make a great piece for the magazine. Most folks don't have the good fortune of being able to go out and view bananas (and other plants) growing in their natural habitat like this. I think readers of the magazine would love to see your photos and read your account of seeing them in the jungle.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Brent, thanks for your most kind words. I will work on this for the mag later but I still want to get more pix of it in the city. I am trying to get a couple of pix of it right in the centre of the city with the KL Twin Towers as the background. That will convince people it's really a weed! But darn the traffic jams and parking problems, it will take a while though! :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

When I was a kid I would subscribe to a reptile magazine and the articles I still remember were the collecting adventures. :)

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, I am part way on reading a book on "Plants and Flowers of Malaysia" and it mentions the Acuminata along with Truncata and Violascens. It says that they grow all over the peninsular except in the south. As this is an old book( 1992) I imagine that they may well have spread further south.

I really enjoy your forages to the jungle and the pictures that go with them. Keep them comimg

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Yo Mark! Glad you enjoy my ramblings.
Ok mate, let's recap on the 4 species found in Peninsular M'sia;

M-acuminata subsp malaccensis - All over the country!

M-violascens - Only along the Western part of the peninsular. From North to South.

M-acuminata subsp truncata - On the Central highlands of the Malaysian Main Range. This mountain strip max at about 10,000asl acts as a divider.

M-gracilis - Certain areas of the Eastern side of the peninsular. So far from the info I gathered from the locals, the Purple color form is rarer than the White form.

So far I have done Threads on 3 of them and I can't wait for the rains to clear so I can go and nail the 2 color forms of the M-gracilis on the Eastern side. :02:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Iy only mentions three in the book Tog, But like I said its old:ha: I am also taken with all the different types of Nepenthes that you have growing over there too.

I have found myself skipping the text in the book and just drooling over the pictures:ha:

Look forwards to you finding the Gracilis once the rains stop.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Very interesting Tog,thanks.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Poor guy probably didn't go east! There are 11 sp of Nepenthes in Peninsular M'sia. I have hunted down 9 of them. Too lazy to do the other 2 cos too remote and not spectacular in form. Mark, when you see them......they are like a whole football field packed FULL! No kidding. :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

OK OK no need to rub it in:ha:

I am so envyous of all the wonderful plants you have growing just outside your back door.All I have at the moment is frozen basjo and sikki stems :(

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Me neither, I am anxiously awaiting the next installment! As I become older, it is with some chagrin that I realize I may never get to visit Malaysia and see such beauty. Vicariously, I live through your eyes and senses as you trek through the jungle. To use an overly used word in its proper meaning, it must be AWESOME!

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Please don't forget your Variegated Rajapuri and Variegated Musa basjoo and Variegated Musa acuminata subsp sumatrana and.....what else you are hiding from me mate? :ha::ha::ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Scot, I am expecting Bob in 2010 and I am gonna take that bum go deep in the jungle to do some game fishing(lots of nice eating big 'uns) and let him hunt/steal all the musa and plants he wants. Maybe you should join him then. Hey, I am serious. :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Flattery will get you nowhere!

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

You didn't tell me that you have fish there! I am so in!
Guess I better start saving for it. Perhaps I will combine it with China. That would be a dream come true. And yes, I am serious, too!

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

When you do make it, make sure you go back on a different flight from Bob's cos I will alert my chaps at the customs to check him for plants! Darn, should have PM'd you n this. Now he knows it.....:ha:

The best time to be here for jungle fun is around late Feb to Apr when it is dry. Otherwise, you will just be totally soaked and feeding leeches.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Don't sleep while I'm there!

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

I only sleep with my wife(if I have one:ha:), I am wide awake with other .....never mind! I will make you an exception. Hey young 'un, it's 4.15 am here, sleep? :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Yeah should have known.

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, you've done it again, my man! Great pics. Wish I had the money and the time, I'd come pay you a visit also! Best,

Frank

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Thanks my buddy! I think a bunch of you should come over here for an eco holiday. It's not expensive cos my brother comes back from Philadelphia every now and then. Moreover, it's a small country with lots of forest so we don't need to run around like chickens without heads! If you try that in Thailand and Indonesia, you will go broke traveling. Food is great here and diversified, you can get Chinese, Malay(Northern and Southern), Indian, Western(all types) and Thai cheap. One end of the country to the other is only 10 hrs. Southern Thailand is only 7 hrs away. Fishing is great here and in S Thailand. We can always leave the 'fishy' guys to get us food(if they are any good as they claim) and we can go musa and plant hunting. Whadaya think? :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

3 of my favorite things to do, eat, fish and play with bananas!
:2719::aliennaner::blueskirtnaner::chefnaner:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Scot, I understand the first two love of your life, now the third one......I hope the ladies here won't think differently of you now......whadaya think Lorax?:ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Toooo Funny to comment! :ha: :ha: :bananas_b

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, photos very beautiful! Wild bananas beautifully look in jungle, let it and a weed, but it very much we love me. Many thanks for a photo and the information. And when it will start to blossom at you?

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

I am only 3 days late to post on this!! Talking about being at the forefront of banana discovery...

We have all now established that Malaysia is the place to be, but most of us can't get there. So I think Tog you need to expand on your jungle reporting and start YouTubing!! I think we definitely need a banana channel on TV!

Talking about food: Biggest mistake I ever made in Thailand when I was still travel inexperienced was to eat Spaghetti Bolognese on a small island without electricity. Big mistake. I am happy I got down alive. And here is a word to all the hippy travellers you can find in those remote places because they apparently 'cool': 'You are a greatly unhelpful lot, just caring about yourself!'. No movie has ever revived memories of the past as much as 'The Beach'. Those who have seen it will know what I mean, I guess.

On a slightly more banana note: In Sri Lanka I came across a banana which was as waxy underneath as the one on your picture Tog. On top of that I seem to remember (but my memories are fading now) that even the upper side of the leaves were very waxy. It was in a botanical garden, but the plant was in a neglected corner, and I believe was not deliberately planted there. I now believe that that might have been the Musa acuminate ssp. that grows wild there. Gabe, please remind me of the name - I have forgotten. Your pictures Tog reminded me of this. I was so taken by the white appearance that I would have almost become a thief, would I have had some tools for digging.

Christian

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Ah... I think the plant you saw is the M-a-s-burmancoides. However, there is so much debate about it and the M-a-s-burmanica. Some experts say same-same, some say no same.

I am after one of the gang which comes from Bandung, Indonesia - the M-a-s-acuminata aka M-a var cerifera. Know why Christian? The locals use the wax from it undersides as the wax for their batik! It seems the wax is so thick that you get 'white' when you come into contact with it.

I find the Musa acuminata gang amusing(cofusing) and I am on a long(lonely) journey to collect hopefully all of its gang members.
Thanks for your kind words. About You-Tube-ing!, I need a leading man in my production, you interested? Great wardrobe provided, 'naner leaf loin wrap. :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

If it is that waxy I want one!! What a centrepiece. And I don't really care if it is from Sri Lanka or Indonesia. :-)

Re YouTube production: I do anything, as long as I don't have to eat any more Bolognese anywhere in Asia ever again! :2141:

Christian

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, the Sri Lanka banana can not be Musa acuminata subsp. burmannica, as I just found out when researching a bit more. Burmannica is not waxy at all, but the one I saw was exceedingly so.

For general information there is also Musa balbisiana growing on the island.

Christian

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Actually I was referring to the M-a-s-burmannicoides if you see #27 permalink. Then again it could be the E glaucum as you have suggested. On the other hand, if they grow in a clump (if you can remember), they definitely can't be Ensetes. Oi, you are supposed to be the expert. :ha:

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog, You Tube, good idea! It will seems to me all are glad to look films about wild versions of a banana in their natural conditions of growth. I of anything similar yet did not see. Jungle it is interesting!

Re: Musa acuminata subsp malaccensis - Grandaddy of edible 'naners
 

Tog mentioned the Orang Asli. Here is an old film showing them going about their business in the jungles of Malaya. They have fantastic bushcraft skills, and make a lot of use of banana leaves for wrapping and cooking food, as shown in the video.

Orang asli in the prewar Malaysian jungle - YouTube

The government has been trying to get them to settle in permanent villages and convert them to Islam, and I fear many of them may be losing touch with their jungle skills and culture.

Protests in Malaysia over indigenous lands
Protests in Malaysia over indigenous lands - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

Malaysia ethnic tribes 'forced to convert'
Malaysia ethnic tribes 'forced to convert' - YouTube