Musella lasiocarpa


Musella lasiocarpa, commonly known as Chinese dwarf banana, golden lotus banana or Chinese yellow banana, is the sole species in the genus Musella. It is thus a close relative of bananas, and also a member of the family Musaceae. The plant is native to the Yunnan province in China, where it grows high in the mountains up to an altitude of 2500 m. It is known for its erect, yellow pseudostems, generally appearing during the second year of cultivation, that can last a few months. Just before opening, the yellow, flower-like pseudostem resembles a lotus - from which the plant gets one of its names.