from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Musa \Mu"sa\, prop. n.; pl. {Musae}. [NL., fr. Ar. mauz, mauza,
banana.] (Bot.)
A genus of perennial, herbaceous, endogenous plants of great
size, including the banana ({Musa sapientum}), the plantain
({Musa paradisiaca} of Linnaeus, but probably not a distinct
species), the Abyssinian ({Musa Ensete}), the Philippine
Island ({Musa textilis}, which yields Manila hemp), and about
eighteen other species. See Illust. of {Banana} and
{Plantain}.
[1913 Webster]