The Banana's Immediate Family: Musaceae
At the most direct level of kinship, the banana (genus Musa) is part of the plant family Musaceae. The most well-known and commercially significant relative is the plantain, which is technically just a type of banana. While plantains and dessert bananas come from the same genus, their culinary uses and flavor profiles differ significantly. Plantains are starchier and are typically cooked, serving as a staple in many tropical and subtropical cuisines.
Beyond the familiar plantain, the Musaceae family also includes other genera, primarily Ensete and Musella. Ensete species, often called false bananas, are native to Africa and Asia. A notable example is Ensete ventricosum, the Ethiopian banana, whose flower stalk and corm are a staple food source for millions in Ethiopia, though its fibrous fruit is not typically eaten.
Broadening the Horizon: The Order Zingiberales
To discover more distant relatives, we must zoom out to the larger botanical order, Zingiberales. This order contains eight families, including the Musaceae, and represents a diverse group of large, herbaceous, flowering plants found throughout the tropics. This group is often informally split into the "banana group" and the more genetically distinct "ginger group". This shared lineage means that fruits like banana and spices like ginger are, in a botanical sense, distant cousins.
Some of the key families within the Zingiberales that contain interesting fruits or edible parts include:
- Zingiberaceae: The ginger family, which includes well-known spices like ginger, turmeric, and cardamom, all of which are aromatic rhizomes.
- Strelitziaceae: This family contains the striking bird-of-paradise flower (Strelitzia reginae) and the traveler's tree (Ravenala madagascariensis). While not known for edible fruit, their striking flowers highlight the shared floral characteristics within the order.
- Heliconiaceae: Known for the genus Heliconia, which produces showy, colorful bracts and flowers. Like the Strelitziaceae, these are primarily ornamental but are part of the larger banana lineage.
- Marantaceae: This family includes West Indian arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), whose tubers provide a starch used in cooking.
Other Notable Edible Relatives
While not in the same botanical family, some fruits share physical or culinary similarities with bananas that can cause confusion or lead to misclassification by consumers. A notable example is the Mexican breadfruit (Monstera deliciosa), which grows on a tropical climbing vine rather than a tree-like herb. This fruit has a unique texture and a sweet flavor reminiscent of a banana-pineapple combination. Another example is the pawpaw (Asimina triloba), a North American fruit with a creamy, custard-like texture and a flavor that evokes both bananas and mangos.
Comparison of Banana Relatives
To help differentiate between bananas and their closest relations, the table below compares key features of popular varieties and species within the Musaceae family.
| Feature | Dessert Banana (e.g., Cavendish) | Plantain (Musa spp.) | Enset (Ensete ventricosum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical Family | Musaceae | Musaceae | Musaceae |
| Genus | Musa | Musa | Ensete |
| Common Use | Eaten raw when ripe, sweet flavor. | Cooked as a starchy vegetable, savory or sweet. | Starchy stem and corm are cooked, fruit is not eaten. |
| Texture | Soft and creamy when ripe. | Firm and starchy when unripe; soft and sweet when ripe and cooked. | Corm is fibrous; cooked parts are starchy and dense. |
| Peel | Thin, turns yellow when ripe. | Thicker, turns from green to yellow to black. | Not a fruit; the plant stalk is harvested. |
Beyond Fruit: Other Uses of Banana Relatives
These related plants offer much more than just edible fruits or starches. For instance, the Manila hemp or abacá fiber, derived from the inedible banana species Musa textilis, is used to create textiles, paper, and rope. Some ornamental varieties, such as the scarlet-flowered Musa coccinea, are cultivated for their striking beauty rather than for their inedible fruit. The vast biodiversity within the Musaceae family and the broader Zingiberales order underscores their significance not only as food sources but also as valuable fiber crops and ornamental plants. The ancient history of banana domestication, evolving over thousands of years and resulting in more than 1000 varieties worldwide, further highlights the economic importance of this family. This rich history continues to influence how these plants are cultivated and used today across the tropics.
Conclusion
While plantains are the most obvious answer to the question of what other fruits are related to bananas, the botanical family tree extends much further. The direct Musaceae family includes lesser-known edible relatives like the false banana, enset, whose starchy base is a vital food source. Looking deeper into the order Zingiberales reveals surprising connections to spices like ginger and ornamental plants such as the bird-of-paradise. The diversity of the banana's extended family, from starchy staples to exotic flowers and strong fibers, reveals the complexity and richness of tropical botany.
Authoritative Source
For more in-depth information on the Musaceae family, the Britannica article on the topic is an excellent starting point: https://www.britannica.com/plant/Musaceae.
