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5 plants worth knowing

Seychelles

Seychelles is made up of more than a hundred islands in the Indian Ocean: the granitic inner islands, such as Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, are fragments of the ancient continent of Gondwana with montane cloud forests and endemic palms, while the low coral islands, led by Aldabra Atoll, are covered in coastal scrub and coconut groves. Despite its small size, the archipelago has dozens of plants that grow nowhere else in the world.

Hover over a plant to see on the map where it grows.

where it grows

  1. Coco de mer 1

    palm · Palm on the coat of arms of Seychelles

    Coco de mer

    Lodoicea maldivica

    The coco de mer has the largest seeds in the plant kingdom – its suggestively shaped nuts, weighing over 20 kg, are a symbol of Seychelles.
  2. Angraecum eburneum 2

    orchid · National flower of Seychelles

    Angraecum eburneum

    Angraecum eburneum

    The white-and-green flowers of Seychelles’ national orchid have long spurs, recalling the tail of the tropicbird it is named after.
  3. Jellyfish tree 3

    tree

    Jellyfish tree

    Medusagyne oppositifolia

    Thought to be extinct, the jellyfish tree was rediscovered on Mahé in the 1970s – today it is one of the rarest trees in the world.
  4. Tamanu 4

    tree

    Tamanu

    Calophyllum inophyllum

    Spreading takamaka trees shade the beaches of Seychelles, and one of Mahé’s districts takes its name from the tree.
  5. Deckenia nobilis 5

    palm

    Deckenia nobilis

    Deckenia nobilis

    An endemic palm whose heart was used for the famous “millionaire’s salad” – making it meant felling the whole tree.