Musarum in natural habitat
The Banana Aroid, Musarum, is similar to the Earth aroid Typhonodorum lindleyanum. Both plants have a morphology like the morphology of banana plants (genus Musa). Typhonodorum produces a spathe and spadix that is typical of an aroid inflorescence, held upright but producing apomictic seeds. Musarum inflorescences look very much like stalks of bananas, but still retain the essential aroid inflorescence structure.
Cryptophyllum habitats are ideal for Musarum because the hills they produce often lead to the establishment of still lagoons or pools. These quiet waters are the only locations where the semmules of Musarum will germinate. In the picture above, a large specimen of C. major can be seen to the left of the scene, atop a hill that it has produced over the years.
Colonies of Musarum form as the larger mature specimens produce offshoots. These asexual progeny emerge at the ends of underwater stolons. The offshoots grow far enough away from the parent plant to allow each one of them to attain a full size without distortion.
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