The earliest reference to banana dates back to about 500 BC. Some horticulturists suspect that banana was the earth’s first fruit.
Nevertheless, the origin of bananas is traced back to Southeast Asia in the jungles of Malaysia, Indonesia or Philippines.
Bananas may have been taken from this area across the Indian Ocean to Madagascar about AD 500 and therefore into East Africa, Zaire and West Africa.
Musa accuminata is a native of the Malay Peninsula and adjacent regions whole Musa balbisiana is found in India eastwards to the tropical Pacific.
Both bananas and plantains were known on the west coast of Africa in the 14-15th century when the Portuguese arrived.
In 1000 AD, banana was distributed throughout Polynesia and introduction to Mediterranean areas during Arab expansion.
The first scientific term given to banana is Musa paradisiaca Linn., published in 1753 by Linnaeus in his book Species Plantarum, the origin of modern botanical nomenclature.
The name Musa adopted by Linnaeus for the entire genius may have been derived from Antonius Musa (63-14 BC) who was physician to the first Roman Emperor, Octavius Augustus.
The origin of banana
