Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 1 (1843).djvu/446

Rh The Lodoicea Sechellarum is an intertropical plant peculiar to the Sechelles Ar- chipelago, where it grows naturally in two islands only, Praslin and Curiense. Pras- lin lies to the north-east of Mahe, distant twenty-one miles ; Curiense to the north of Praslin, and is much smaller : a deep arm of the sea, from one to two miles in breadth, separates these two islands. They lie between 4° 15' and 4° 21' S. latitude, and 55° 39' and 55° 47' E. longitude. In the other islands of the Archipelago there are but few Lodoiceas, which have all been planted, and only two or three appear to thrive.

The trunk or stem is straight, and rises to the height of 80 or 90 feet, and is ter- minated by a splendid crown of winged palmated leaves; it is only from 12 to 15 inches in diameter, and so flexible that it waves to the slightest breeze. When the wind is moderately strong, the huge leaves of this giant palm are clashed together with an astonishing noise. The outside of the stem is very hard and compact, while the interior is soft and fibrous. The leaves, winged and palmated, open like a fan, and in their early growth are more than 15 feet long, without reckoning the foot-stalk, which is at least as much more. In the mature trees the leaf-stalk is not more than 8 or 10 feet long, and the whole leaf does not exceed 20 feet in length by 10 or 12 in breadth, and is entirely destitute of thorns. The nascent leaves are enveloped till the period of their expansion by a thick covering of cottony down, of a nankeen colour ; but this is occasionally wanting. The unanimous testimony of the inhabitants of Praslin proves that each tree produces only one leaf a-year ; and " as three leaves occu- py about 8 inches of the trunk, and twenty years expire before that appears above the surface, a tree of eighty feet in height must be about four hundred years old." The flowers, about twenty in number, succeed each other one at a time, occasionally there are two together. The nuts are two-lobed, and sometimes two nuts are enclosed in one husk ; three-lobed nuts are very rare, but some are met with, and it is said that speci- mens with five lobes have been found. The form of the nut is very singular, and can- not be compared with that of any other production of the vegetable kingdom. Two highly remarkable circumstances in the history of the Lodoicea are the duration of its blossoms and the period necessary for maturing its fruits ; for the latter purpose seven or eight years are required. The Lodoicea grows in every variety of soil, but delights most in the vegetable mould of the deep gorges of the mountains. It is nevertheless found on the bare mountain tops, and forms a very conspicuous and remarkable object in such situations. It is curious that the vegetation of the nut should be prevented by its being buried, but if suffered simply to rest on the earth, in a situation not too much exposed to the sun, germination readily takes place. The purposes to which the pro- duce of the Lodoicea is applied are numerous. The fruit, in its simple state, is an agreeable and refreshing aliment ; when ripe it yields oil ; its germ furnishes a very sweet food. Of the shell are made vessels of various shapes and sizes, that serve the Sechellois for nearly all domestic purposes. The entire nut is an article of commerce with India, where one of its uses is as an astringent medicine. The trunk is employ- ed in building ; split and hollowed it forms excellent gutters and paling ; the leaf- stalks also are used for the latter purpose. The leaf forms a covering for roofs nearly as good as shingles, besides furnishing materials of a very superior description for hats, bonnets, wood-baskets and artificial flowers, in the manufacture of which many of the Sechelloises display great taste and skill. And lastly, the cottony down which covers the leaf previously to expansion, is a very good stuffing for pillows and mattresses. — G.E.D.