The Seychelles’ “sea coconut”
The coco de mer is the world’s largest seed, weighing between 15 and 20 kg. It is produced by a dioecious palm (Lodoicea maldivica), with male and female flowers on separate plants, that is endemic to the Seychelles — meaning it occurs naturally only in this part of the world. For many years, sailors believed it grew on the seabed, as they only ever found the seeds floating at sea.
The natural coco de mer forest in the Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve on Praslin Island was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1984.