TRAVELER'S TREE

(species Ravenala madagascariensis), plant of the family Strelitziaceae, so named because the water it accumulates in its leaf bases has been used in emergencies for drinking. This, the only Ravenala species, grows in Madagascar. The trunk resembles that of a palm tree and attains a height of more than 27 m (90 feet). At the top of the tree are banana-like leaves, with pale midribs that give a fanlike appearance. The leaves are 4 to 5 m long, and each leaf base, shaped like a huge cup, holds about 1 litre (about a quart) of rainwater. The large flower clusters contain white blossoms and light blue seeds.