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Lodoicea maldivica
Seen at the botanical gardens In Kandy Sri Lanka this fruit is also known as a love nut (due to its nut looking like a heart when dried) or double coconut. It is originates from the Seychelles where it is a protected species however the scientific name means maldivian which is where some of the fruit originally floated to before the seychelles was inhabited and people believed it was from a magical tree that grew at the bottom of the Sea hence the common name.
seen in the Botanical gardens of Kandy Sri Lanka but otherwise endemic to two Island of the Seychelles.
2 Comments
I think it is usually only seen on the Seychelles S Frazier but it appears that this Botanical gardens in Kandy has alot of endangered species in its grounds. I believe it holds three botanical records too... the largest fruit so far recorded weighed 42 kg; the mature seeds weighing up to 17.6 kg are the world's heaviest and the female flowers are the largest of any palm!
Wow.Cool. I wasn't familiar with this plant :-)