Is Banana Tree a Palm?
Banana tree’s classification has been giving botanists and laymen alike a hard time since ages. It is a common knowledge that banana trees are not actually trees and do not fit into the definition of what technically is a tree. Then, can it really be classified under the umbrella of a palm? Let us explore the facts to shed some light on the subject.
Banana trees are technically not trees, botanists classify them as herbaceous and sometimes refer to them as ‘Gulmohur’ or a ‘Fountain Tree’. This is because banana plants are actually made of a cluster of underground stems. Every stem sprouts a huge bunch of leaves from the top and can grow up to 10 to 15 ft. in height. Once the bunch of leaves get matured after bearing the fruit and becomes unfertile, it dies leaving space for the new stem to expand.
No, banana tree is not a palm, but it is related to them. Palms, scientifically known as ‘Arecaceae’ fall into a category of monocot flowering plants which comprises of 3485 species. Banana trees are different in their characteristics, as they are not monocots, turning out to be inter specific hybrids of Musaceae (Musa) and possibly at least one other species in the family of Strelitziaceae.
Banana Trees and Musaceae
Lemurs belonging to the family of Musaceae in the genus of Musa are perennial flowering plants and come from the group of flowering plants in order of Zingiberales which is a kind of herbaceous species. As per accepted principles, the order of Zingiberales is related to the order of Arecales. This order conscientiously has other diverse members, for instance palms, grasses, gingers and turmerics, among some others.
Banana trees not only have the same characteristics as palms, but also unique features like their fragrant flowers and soft stems which come from the group of Musaceae. Some of their common features such as false trunk and an unshattered section of leaflets might indicate that they both have a common origin, however, the evolution ranges are still very unknown in both of them.
Interestingly, in terms of evolution, many inter-genetic comparison studies have established high resemblance between the Musaceae and Arecaceae. In other words, this relation might intimate that in ancient times Arecaceae and Musaceae might have had a common ancestor and might have evolved out of something with similar characteristics while they kept some similar traits like their primary inflorescence and the neotropical distribution.
Banana Trees and Palms in Their Native Environments
Botanists have found that both banana and palm trees have originated from similar climates, but flora and fauna in different geographic areas have adapted to drastically different environments. Palms mostly inhabit tropical and subtropical areas that are found in generally extensive regions.
Distribution of banana trees is even wider than palms; they grow from humid and semi-arid areas where most palms would not be able to survive because of deficiency of humidity and sunlight. Generally speaking, banana trees require greater amounts of water and sunlight to survive, and longer day length to be able to produce the fruits. Therefore, banana trees do not typically inhabit the same climate as palms do, but some species grow in similar environments particularly in intercontinental regions.
Palms need low humidity and proper protection from the cold in order to survive in the cooler climate; however banana trees can survive all these temperature extremities because they originate from moister, warmer climates. Therefore, it is really tough to say whether palms and banana trees are the same or not, the only thing that is more or less sure is that they share common ancestors and with some minor differences co-exist in the same environment.
Banana Trees and Palms in Different Soils
Banana trees and palms too have some differences in soil preferences. Banana trees flourish in deep and well-drained soil, which has high amount of organic matter and can provide regular water and adequate aeration. Palms however, have a greater tolerance for highly acidic soils, though they likewise require loamy and well-drained soils. In the soils, palms have a greater capacity for salt resistance, waterlogging and have much greater tolerance for alkaline conditions.
Another striking difference between the two plants is the way their fruits mature. Banana fruits are seedless and their seeds are stuffed inside what is known as a ‘pseudostem’, while palms form hereditary seeds.
Banana Trees and Palms in Biological Diversity
Banana plants bear a flower in their centre, connected to the stem by a false stem which puts out the leaves. These plants bloom every time when the plant takes in a new stem that grows out of the flower and bears the fruit. Palms on the other hand, have a true stem, and when the leaves mature, the new stem springs up from the centre of the trunk and flowering happens each year.
The relevant flowering of palms depend on the species, while in banana trees the flowering is interlinked with each stem. A new flower emerges with the growth of each stem leading to two times blossoming of banana trees as opposed to one in the case of palms.
According to resources, natural growth of palms and banana trees is also different. The mature leaves of palms go as far as 15 to 20 ft. in some species, while banana plants generally only reach up to 10 to 15 ft.
Banana Tree’s Characteristics and Adaptations
Banana trees or plants have an easily identifiable ‘trunk’ or ‘pseudostem’ made up of the tightly packed overlapping bases of the leaves, which beautifies its appearance. This is an adaptation of the plant to decrease its vulnerability to the devastating effects of 2 of the most hazardous natural disasters i.e. fires and strong winds.
Another adaptation which banana trees have made to suit the environment is that of increased storage and transfer of nutrients from one stalk to the other. The nutrients are circulated in the plant by the phloem tissues that travel from one point of the plant to another and distribute the nutrients equally.
Additionally, these plants, unlike their peers, the palms sprout a small flower right at their centre which, in the wild, defends against pollinators and helps in pollination at large.
Banana Trees and Palm’s Diet
Banana and palm trees also differ in their diet. Bananas are known to be produced through corms and cormlets while palms reproduce due to the help of rhizomes which provide essential nutrients making them prolific breeders.
Corms are a necessary source of nutrition for banana trees in terms of their development; the production of corms takes place in the rhizomes of banana tree and it aids the tree to acquire nutrition from soils. On the other hand, palms pull in the necessary nutrition from their surrounding environment and atmosphere, which is why they are found in extensive regions.
Genetic Relation Between Banana Trees and Palms
Genetically speaking, bananas and palms are related to each other due to their closeness to the order of Zingiberales. The family of Musaceae to which banana trees belong have, at times, been employed as a model for understanding the genetics and physiology of other non-model plants such as palms.
Recently, it has become feasible to expand the research horizons by using this model and study the larger family of Arecaceae to comprehend what lies under the hood of palms’ and banana trees’ genetic makeup. Research works are being done over the ecology, genomic, and transcriptomic levels to unravel the similarities and differences between these species.
Discovery of Methods and Technologies to Enhance Banana Trees
The research that is being conducted on the subject of banana trees is also leading to advancements in terms of plant breeding, molecular indicators and physiological studies.
Recently, new methods have been developed to enhance the productivity of banana and palm trees, for instance the application of advanced technologies like genetic engineering and high throughput sequencing. With the help of these high-end technologies, scientists are now better equipped in understanding the plant’s genetic makeup, enabling them to identify and make use of the best genes for the suitable growth of the plants and aid in boosting the productivity too.
Effect of Climate Change on Bananas and Palms
The devastating effects of climate change are hitting the world hard, leaving both banana and palms trees without their native environment and with limited sources of water.
Bananas and palms suffer greatly form draughts, floods, unwanted pests and increasing temperatures leading to reduced fertilizer utilization efficiency. The higher temperatures create suitable climatic conditions for pests to infest the trees and harm the fruits, reducing their quality and even destroying the fruits.
Climate uncertainty and unpredictability have caused a great disruption in prices and production, sending the markets into chaos. The unequal levels of facilities like improved irrigation systems and certification systems have added to the difficulty. Scientists, however, are intensifying their efforts in safeguarding the future of both these trees by exploring strategies to protect them from the negative effects of climate change.
Conclusion
Having looked at the facts, it is interesting to note that although banana tree’s classification have been giving a hard time to botanists, the common aspects between these two species cannot be disregarded. Genetically the two are closely related, and the presence of common adaptation in terms of false trunk, an unshattered section of leaflets, their flowering patterns and height, corms and cormlets and their source of nutrition, makes them similar to each other in many ways.
The research that has already been conducted, and underway, has enabled us to gain better understanding into their genetic makeup and use advanced technologies to enhance their productivity and increase their familiarity. Scientists are also intensifying their efforts in safeguarding the future of palm and banana trees by exploring strategies to protect them from the effects of the changing climate.
