About Strelitziaceae
Strelitziaceae is a small monocot family in the order Zingiberales under APG IV, with 3 genera and about 7 species. It occurs in southern and eastern Africa, Madagascar and tropical South America. Members are large herbs or tree-like plants with long-stalked, banana-like leaves arranged in two ranks to form a fan. Flowers emerge from tough, green, boat-shaped bracts, and the woody capsules contain seeds with brightly colored, fringed arils (fleshy or hairy seed appendages). The family comprises Strelitzia of southern Africa, Ravenala, the traveller's tree of Madagascar, and Phenakospermum of South America. The genera were formerly placed in the banana family, Musaceae.
Strelitzia is a genus of 5 species in Strelitziaceae, endemic to southern Africa from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Plants range from stemless clumping herbs to tree-like species about 10 m tall, with banana-like leaves arranged in a fan. Unlike the related Ravenala, flowers emerge in succession from a horizontal, boat-shaped spathe and resemble a bird's head, and sunbirds perching on them carry pollen away on their feet. Species in cultivation include Strelitzia reginae, Strelitzia nicolai and Strelitzia juncea.
Scientific Name
Strelitziaceae