Short answers, pulled from the story.
The earlier published name Musa × paradisiaca is now used as the scientific name for all such hybrids. Both Musa paradisiaca and Musa sapientum are now known to be hybrids between the species Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana.
Members of the genus Musa are indigenous to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and Oceania. Cooking bananas are a major food staple in West and Central Africa, the Caribbean islands, Central America, and northern South America.
An average plantain provides about 105 calories of food energy. Plantain is 32% carbohydrates with 2% dietary fiber and 15% sugars 1% protein 0.4% fat and 65% water.
Plantains have more starch and less sugar compared to regular bananas which is why they are mostly cooked before eating. They are typically boiled or fried when eaten green and can also be processed into flour for baked products.
In Africa, plantains and bananas provide more than 25 percent of the caloric requirements for over 70 million people. This reliance creates economic vulnerability when environmental threats strike because Musa spp. do not withstand high winds well.