TO BE HONEST THIS COCONUT LOOKS LIKE A WOMAN’S BOTTOM
But no, it is a plant of the Arecaceae family that grows exclusively on the islands of Praslin and Curieuse.
Seychelleslovers just think about it, it has a diameter of 50 cm and a weight of 15-22 kg and its fruits contain the largest seed in the vegetable kingdom. The fruit takes 6-7 years to ripen and grows on trees about 40 meters tall.
Coco de Mer is very large, but without husk (ie pulp) and so it is impossible to spread naturally, through sea currents, as happens for the coconut palm. The mature seed has a specific weight greater than that of water and therefore does not float.
In fact, every now and then, they floated to the Maldives or India, due to the currents. But these fruits could not provide information about the tree that produced them, germinating and producing other trees, since they all arrived dead.
According to the most widespread belief, they must have been produced by a tree that grew below the surface of the sea. So this fruit was called “Coco de Mer”
The 4000 Coco de Mer trees are now protected, the government allows 3000 nuts to be harvested a year which are sold, cleaned and polished, at high prices. Since 1983, the prehistoric forest of the Valle de Mai has been included by UNESCO in the list of places to be protected as a World Heritage Site
However, there are two suits, the masculine and the feminine. A spicy curiosity: the male inflorescences resemble a huge penis!
Legend has it that at night the female plants unite (sexually) with the male ones. The inhabitants of the Seychelles believed that whoever witnessed this act of love would be transformed into a black parrot, a common species in the Seychelles and would live forever in the forest of the Valley or even that by witnessing the fact he would lose his sight. So I recommend: do not stay in the park until the evening
Where to admire these fruits of sex? In the Vallee de Mer on Praslin.
You can go there by bus, by taxi or by car.Vallée de Mai, SIF – Seychelles Islands Foundation Opening hours: every day from 9.00 to 16.00 | Entrance fee 33 € / 450 SCR increased in recent months
The path in the park has 3 different paths and choosing the one that suits you best you can walk from 1 hour to 3 hours even reaching a high peak.
TIP: Wear comfortable shoes, sandals are fine too, and bring water.
The peace you will find among the plants is fantastic and indescribable
The tour can be done alone, in groups with a guide or alone always with a guide, obviously the guide is paid
Did you know that you can take it home as a souvenir? Be aware that prices vary between €200 and €600.
If, on the other hand, you are in Milan, one of these gigantic and bizarre walnuts can be seen in room 5 of the Natural History Museum, in the section dedicated to the evolution of plants. The seeds (from 1 to 3) are very rich in reserve substances (endosperm), above all of a lipid (fat and oil) and protein nature; in some cases the endosperm is particularly hardened and is known as “vegetable ivory”, used for carving and in ancient times to make buttons.
And just for the record 20 years ago I got this very beautiful back tattoo so that I too am a RARE species!!!
CREOLE LESSON
| ENGLISH | CREOLE |
| ISLAND | ZIL |
| FRUIT | FRI |
| LOVE | LANMOUR |
| BACK – BUM | FES – BOYO |
