Matkustajainpuu – Ravenala madagascariensis

Trunk is up to 30 cm in diameter and displays distinctive leaf scar rings. Leaves are simple, 2.5-3 m long, resembling the leaves of banana, and arranged tightly into two rows. Leaf blade is 1.5-2 m x 30-45 cm, oblong, pinnately veined, tearing into slices in wind. Petiole is as long as or longer than the blade. Flowers are borne in large, bracteate inflorescences (to 85 cm in height) situated in the axils of the leaf bases. The inflorescence has strong, folded, boat-shaped bracts arranged in two rows enclosing 10-16 flowers each. A flower is ca. 19 cm long, consisting of an inferior ovary, perianth tube, 3 yellowish white sepals fused at their base to the perianth tube, 3 white petals of which two are fused along their margins, 6 pollen-bearing stamens enclosed by the two fused petals, and a stiff, rodlike style terminated by a broad ovoid stigma. Fruit is a brown, woody, dehiscent, 3-valved capsule, to 8 cm long, containing many seeds covered with blue arils.