![]() ![]() Some controversy exists over the taxonomic status of this crop. In tropical America, Heliconias are often called “wild bananas” or “tropical kings” locally, they are often referred to as “false birds of paradise.” They are monophyletic genus comprises of about 380 species with high ornamental potential. In 1771, Linnaeus established the new genus Heliconia, naming it after Helicon, a mountain in Greece, the home of Apollo and the muses. They originally were classified as species of bananas because of their similar foliage. Owing to their exotic shape and unusual posture, early explorers of the tropics introduced them to Europe with several species that became prized greenhouse specimens. Heliconias have long been popular horticulturally because of their showy inflorescences.
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