There are many different varieties of coconut across the world, but surely one of the strangest is indigenous to the Seychelles, and predominantly to the island of Praslin. In the centre of this small island is the Vallee de Mai nature reserve. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the Coco de Mer. Swathes of these palms tower above and make a strange rattling sound when the wind moves their vast, 10m-long leaves around.
Despite its name it has nothing to do with the sea; however, its strangely shaped nuts were washed up on faraway beaches and those who found them thought they were some exotic marine plant.
Every Coco de Mer palm has a gender. Unsurprisingly, this one is male.
Even more uncanny is the female. On the tree, the nuts may look innocuous enough.
But once the outer husk is stripped away, the seed is revealed, rather resembling a shapely female bottom.
This symbol is everywhere in the Seychelles, even on the stamp you get in your passport.
Despite its name it has nothing to do with the sea; however, its strangely shaped nuts were washed up on faraway beaches and those who found them thought they were some exotic marine plant.
Every Coco de Mer palm has a gender. Unsurprisingly, this one is male.
Even more uncanny is the female. On the tree, the nuts may look innocuous enough.
But once the outer husk is stripped away, the seed is revealed, rather resembling a shapely female bottom.
This symbol is everywhere in the Seychelles, even on the stamp you get in your passport.
Nice coconut format, it looks more like a cashew nut than a coconut. We have lots of them here in Brazil, but never seen something like that before