STRELITZIACEAE
Morphological description
Usually herbaceous, leaves large. Sometimes soft-wooded tree, with distichous leaves (Ravenala*).
Leaves
Leaves simple, in two rows, penninerved. Sometimes distichous leaves (Ravenala*).
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flowers usually bisexual; corolla tubular, stamens 5; ovary inferior.
Fruit
Fruit.
Seed
Seed arillate.
Different from: Musaceae: leaves and bracts spiral.
Distribution: The family as here accepted consists of three genera: - Heliconia (mostly Neotropics, some species in East Malesia and the Pacific); - Ravenala* (Madagascar); - Strelitzia* (South Africa).
Notes: Several alien species planted as ornamentals: Ravenala, Heliconia, Strelitzia. - The leaves of native Heliconia species are used for wrapping food.
Literature: C.A. Backer & R.C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Fl. Java 3 (1968) 38- 40; W.J. Kress, Allertonia 6 (1990) 1-58.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Strelitziaceae 67, 92, 104.
Illustrations: Fig. 170. Heliconia papuana W. J. Kress (Strelitziaceae). Inflorescence. Reproduced from Allertonia 6 (1990) 31, fig. 10A. Courtesy National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawaii, USA.
Image in PhytoImages for Strelitziaceae