| The
Strelitziaceae
This
family consist of three genera and seven species. Unique features of this
family in the Zingiberales are the woody capsular fruit, woody trunk
(absent in some strelitzias), and the bird-like appearance of the
flowering inflorescence and flowers. Popular members of the Strelitziaceae include the Birds-of-paradise and the Traveler's palm . The showy bracts of the birds-of-paradise are popular in the tropical cut flower industry.
|
Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) |
|
Traveler's palm (Ravenala madagascariensis) |
Traveler's palms (this is not a true palm) add dramatic accents to any garden with their large leaf stalks arranged in a single plane. The leafstalks of these plants yield a clear watery sap reputedly used to quench the thirst of weary travellers. |
