Lady finger bananas (also known as sugar bananas, fig bananas, or date bananas) are diploid banana originating in Malaysia or Indonesia, belonging to the Sucrier subgroup of the AA banana cultivar group. Lady finger bananas are the most widely cultivated AA cultivar and are one of the world’s most popular local bananas. Its fruits are finger-sized, sweet, and thin-skinned.
Taxonomy
Lady Finger banana is a
diploid cultivar of the wild banana
Musa acuminata, belonging to the
Sucrier subgroup of the AA banana cultivar group.
They were once placed under the Sucrier group in the old system of classification.
Besides, ‘Lady (‘s) Finger’ has been used to name several distinct AA, AB and AAB clones; such as 'Ney Poovan' in same name subgroup (AB genome), 'Pome', 'Pacovan' and 'Pacha Nadan' in 'Pome subgroup' (AAB genome).
Its official designation is 'Musa'' (AA Group) 'Lady Finger.
Synonyms include:
-
Musa acuminata Colla (AA Group) 'Lady's Finger'
-
Musa acuminata Colla (AA Group) 'Sucrier'
-
Musa acuminata Colla (Sucrier Group) 'Lady's Finger'
-
Musa × paradisiaca L. 'Lady Finger'
-
Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Sucrier 'Doigt de Femme'
-
Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Saccharinus 'Lady's Finger'
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Musa × paradisiaca L. cultigroup Saccharinus 'Dedo de Dama'
-
Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) 'Datil'
-
Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) 'Niño'
-
Musa acuminata Colla non L. (Sucrier Group) 'Bocadillo'
Common names
Musa (AA Group) 'Lady Finger' has many common names in other languages. Following are:
| +Common names of Lady Finger banana
!Language
!Common names
!Location
!References |
| Spanish language | Orito | Ecuador | |
| Dedo de Dama, Guineo niño, Manices, Datil, Nino | Latin America | |
| Guineo blanco | Puerto Rico |
| Cambur Titiaro, Bocadillo | Colombia |
| Cambur Titiaro | Venezuela |
| French language | Banane-figue, Banane mignonne, Banane doigt de dame,
Banane naine, Banana ficaire, Bananier "Sucrier" | | |
| Banane figue sucrée, Figue sucrée, Fig sucré | West Indies |
| Burmese language | Segale nget pyaw (or Sagale nget pyaw) | Myanmar |
| Portuguese | Banana ouro, Banana-figo, Banana dedo-de-dama, Banana anã | Brazil |
| Hindi | Surya kadali | India |
| Parika | Guyana | |
| Pohnpei | Kudud | Pohnpei
(Federated States of Micronesia) |
| English language | Lady Finger banana | Hawai'i |
| Nino banana | Florida |
| Fig banana, Date banana, Finger banana, Sugar banana | | |
| Danish language | Sukkerbanan, Figenbanan | |
| Dutch language | Bananenvijg, Bananevijg. | |
| German language | Zuckerbanane, Kleine Westindische Banane | |
| Italian language | Banana d’oro, Banana fico, Banana nana | |
| Indonesian | Biu mas | Bali (Indonesia) |
| Amasan, Pisang mas, Pisang emas | Indonesia | |
| Malay language | Pisang mas, Pisang mas besar, Pisang mas Kampung. | Malaysia |
| Tagalog language | Amas, Caramelo, Kamoros | Philippines |
| Thai language | Kluai khai, Klue kai (กล้วยไข่) | Thailand |
| Vietnamese | Chuoi trung | Vietnam |
Origin and habitat
Lady Finger banana is a
diploid cultivar originating in
Malaysia or
Indonesia.
It is the most widely cultivated AA cultivar and is one of the world’s most popular local bananas.
Lady Finger (AA), with much A in its genome, is notably difficult to grow and rarely survives with low moisture or humidity.
Description
Lady Finger bananas trees can grow at a height of . Its
pseudostem is slender but it has a heavy root system that makes it resistant to wind damage. The outer sheaths are dark-brown or streaked with reddish brown. The leaves are yellowish green and nearly free of wax. It blooms during mid-summer, late summer, and early fall. Each bunch, usually 10.4 kg in weight,
typically having 10 to 14 hands. Each hands consists of 12 to 20 fruits. It is
monocarpic and is propagated asexually.
Its depends on soil and climate, the fruit is finger-sized, reaching in length, under perfect growing conditions.
Nutrition
Lady finger bananas are
carotenoid-rich, containing 315 μg β-Carotene/100 g.
They are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Diseases
Lady Finger bananas are resistant to
Panama disease and the black weevil, but is susceptible to Sigatoka leaf spot.
Uses
Lady Finger bananas are eaten fresh or used in desserts. Its preferred for fragrant aroma, sweetness, nutritional value and esthetic value. They are known for being superior to supermarket bananas.
In Indonesia, Lady Finger banana is often used as a decoration in traditional ceremonies.
Dwarf Lady Finger bananas, typically growing only up to in height, are also cultivated as houseplants.
See also
