Morphological characteristics and ethnobotanical of Wak banana (<i>Musa paradisiaca</i> cv. Wak) in Aceh Besar, Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract This study aims to describe the morphological characteristics and examine the ethnobiology of Wak Banana in Aceh Besar. Wak Banana was obtained from Aceh Besar Regency, Aceh. Morphological characterization was carried out by following the instructions of the Banana Descriptor (Musa spp.) from IPGRI; ethnobotanical data were obtained through observation, exploration, and interviews. Data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the leaf habitus was drooping; the color of the steam was green-yellow with a height of &gt; 3m; the characteristics of the leaf stalks overlaokpped each other; the leaf stalks were 40-50 cm long with a width of 4-5 cm and were green; the characteristics of the male buds were lanceolate; the characteristics of the male flowers were clear white with oval tepals; the shape of the fruit was straight with a length of 8-10 cm, and the number of fruits was 10-16. The community uses wak Banana daily, including food, customs, trade, kitchen utensils, cosmetics, and animal feed. In the future, the morphological and ethnobotanical characteristics of Wak Banana can be used as basic information for banana cultivar breeding programs, classification, and utilization