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Palm
trees
 Six
endemic palm trees occur on the Seychelles. All of them grow on Silhouette, the
most famous of course is the coco-de-mer. Except the coco-de-mer, the other five
have as seedling, spines on their leaf bases and petioles. It is a protection
against the hungry tortoises living in great numbers on the islands in the past.
 Lodoicea
maldivica or coco-de-mer, can be found in Jardin Marron at an altitude of
350 meters. In the 1940th Henri Dauban planted here more than 40
trees.
Deckenia
nobilis is a tall endemic palm tree reaching 35 meters with a smooth upper
trunk. From this tree the best “millionaire’s salad” or “salade
palmiste” is made, but no longer served in the Seychelles restaurants. Today
the heart of the coconut tree is used for this local delicacy.
  Verschaffeltia
splendida latanier latte or “Walking Palm” is one of the most
special endemic palm trees with its undivided leaves and stilt roots. The trunk
and petioles are covered with pines. It grows on the steep hillsides of
Silhouette and reaches 25 meters in height.
This
pcture is taken along the trial to Jardin maron.
 
Nephrosperma
vanhoutteana or latanier mille-pattes is a small endemic palm from about 10
meters occurring mainly in the lowlands., covered with long spikes.
 Roscheria
melanochaetes or Latanier Hauban is the smallest endemic palm tree only 10
meters tall. Its leaves are entire when it is young, however as the plants age,
they lose the spines, and the leaves become irregularly pinnate.
Phoenicophorium
borsigianum or Latanier feuille is a tree reaching 15 meters with large,
undivided leaves used for thatching roofs like its local name indicates.
The
roofs from the hotel and bungalows are made of these leafs.
Raphia
farinifera A palm from
Madagascar origin, with extra long leaves till 18 meters long, providing the
well known raffia fibre.
 Ravenela
Madagascariensis or
traveller's palm is not a palm. It belongs to the Strelitzia family. It has a
palm tree trunk with a fan-shaped cluster of banana leaves. It can reach 15
meters. Ravenela madagascariensis originates from Madagascar, where it is
pollinated by lemurs, but threatens the local fauna in Mauritius. On Silhouette
this plant grows in front of Gran Case.
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