Taxonomy
Despite using old systems of classification that incorrectly separated plantains as a different species solely because of their culinary use, they are now known to belong to the same species as dessert bananas. They are mostly sterile triploid hybrids between the species Musa acuminata (A genome) and Musa balbisiana (B genome). Most modern plantains belong to the AAB Group, commonly known as the 'Plantain Group', and the ABB Group. Other economically important plantain groups include the East African Highland bananas (Mutika/Lujugira subgroup) of the AAA Group and the Pacific plantains (including the Popoulo, Maoli, and Iholena subgroups) of the AAB Group.
Scientific names that were once applied to plantains but are now invalid (synonyms) include:
- Musa paradisiaca
- Musa × paradisiaca cultigroup Plantain
Read more about this topic: Plantain