| From Musa, Heliconia differs chiefly in having a dry, often dehiscing, 3-loculecL 3-seeded fr.: fls. in clusters below the Ivs., subtended by bracts after the way of Musa; sepals 3, linear, free or somewhat joined to the corolla; corolla short-tubed; stamens 5; staminodium 1: Ivs. large and striking, often beautifully marked: sts. arising from a strong rootstock.—Perhaps 35 species m Trop. Amer., various of which have been intro. into cult., but the following are the only ones appearing in the American trade. Many species are being described from trop. Asia, and there is doubt about the American nativity of the genus. Some writers consider the Old World species as of the genus Heliconiopsis, which in the absence of evidence is not maintained here. For the botany of this very much perplexed genus, see Griggs, Bull. Torrey Club 30:640-664. Baker, Ann. Bot. 7:189-200. K. Schumann in Engler's Pflanzenreich, hft. 1 (1900). H. N. Ridley, G.C. III. 44:13. | | From Musa, Heliconia differs chiefly in having a dry, often dehiscing, 3-loculecL 3-seeded fr.: fls. in clusters below the Ivs., subtended by bracts after the way of Musa; sepals 3, linear, free or somewhat joined to the corolla; corolla short-tubed; stamens 5; staminodium 1: Ivs. large and striking, often beautifully marked: sts. arising from a strong rootstock.—Perhaps 35 species m Trop. Amer., various of which have been intro. into cult., but the following are the only ones appearing in the American trade. Many species are being described from trop. Asia, and there is doubt about the American nativity of the genus. Some writers consider the Old World species as of the genus Heliconiopsis, which in the absence of evidence is not maintained here. For the botany of this very much perplexed genus, see Griggs, Bull. Torrey Club 30:640-664. Baker, Ann. Bot. 7:189-200. K. Schumann in Engler's Pflanzenreich, hft. 1 (1900). H. N. Ridley, G.C. III. 44:13. |
| + | H. insignis, Hort.. intro. by F. Sander & Son in 1912, is of uncertain botanical origin. It is described as "with dark bronzy- green lvs." and may be some form of H. metallica. Planch., which is described as 'lark shining green and purple beneath when young. B.M. 5315. — H. lehmannii variegata, Hort.. advertised by Royal Palm Nurseries, is of doubtful botanical position. It is described as "a stocky, broad-lvd. plant, somewhat resembling a miniature banana, with lvs. |