Observations on the Morphology, Pollination and Cultivation of Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica (J F Gmel.) Pers., Palmae)
Figure 2
General Gordon of Khartoum’s annotated drawings of the coco de mer, reproduced with the kind permission of the Director and the Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. (a) Archive sheet in its entirety (the sheet measures approximately 54 cm by 75 cm), showing leaves and male inflorescence “baba” of Lodoicea maldivica (here called “Lodoicea sechellarum”), (b) enlarged detail of his diagram and notes on the tree’s stature and germination: note the snake which is thought to represent Gordon’s idea that Praslin Island was the biblical Garden of Eden. Gordon’s annotations read “The tree grows to 120 to 130 ft ( to diam) in about as many years. It bears in its 40–50 year, the fruit takes 7 years to ripen,” and “Nut is placed on surface of ground. The radicle descends some 3 ft or more in form of stout tap-root, when it splits and allows plumule to ascend. The radicle is diameter, white, smooth, and round. When green leaves emit, the latter is not injured, the ivory substance is like pith”, (c) enlarged detail of male flower and inflorescence (“male baba”), (d) enlarged detail of fruiting branch and immature nuts. Annotations read, “Immature nut with artichoke leaves,” and “Immature nut without [artichoke leaves]. In this stage it is full of fibre, and the double nuts are not developed. Fecundation takes place by bees, or by placing male flowers from baba on apex of immature nut.”
