Banana is the fruit of a plant of the genus Musa (family Musaceae), which is cultivated primarily for food and secondarily for the production of fibre used in the textile industry are also cultivated for ornamental purposes. The inside of a banana is composed of several fleshy, cream-colored segments, which are surrounded by thin, white membranes. The segments are held together by a central core, and they contain small, black seeds that are not usually eaten. The flesh of the banana is soft, slightly sweet, and has a slightly sticky texture. Plantains are always cooked before consumption and are higher in starch than bananas. The two groups of plantains, French and Horn, produce fewer fruit per plant than sweet bananas. The groups differ in whether the male parts of the inflorescence are present or absent.
