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Re: Do you know?

At 09,21 14.05.97 -0700, you wrote:
>What is the largest seed and how do you germinate it?
>
>Duncan McAlpine  
>
>
>
>
The Seed of Lodoica seychellarum is certainly one of the largest, if not the
largest. Have a look at http://www.santesson.com/aphrodis/fruitnu2.htm, the
following text is taken from there:
Coco-de-Mer

                                   The most indecent fruit in the world, the
nut of Lodoicea
                                   maldivica, commonly known as coco-de-mer,
is not only
                                   visually stimulating by its close
resemblance to a certain part
                                   of the female body, but also acts as an
aphrodisiac when
                                   consumed. It is the largest fruit in the
plant world, reaching a
                                   weight of 10-20 kgs.

                                   Even if commonly called a "double
coconut", it is not a
                                   coconut but grows on a fan-leaf palm with
the two sexes on
                                   different trees. The "female" trees do
not bear until they are
                                   more than 100 years old; furthermore they
are confined to
                                   two out of the twelve islands of the
Seychelles. The annual
               production is limited to a few thousand nuts.

               The interior of the coco-de-mer is jelly-like when ripe and
much appreciated, not only
               because of its aphrodisiacal qualities but also because of
the taste.

               But even regular coconuts might be useful. The 14th century
Arab geographer
               Ibn-Battuta sent some time on the Maldives, mainly living on
fish and fresh coconuts. "I
               myself had four legitimate wives in this country apart from
the concubines. I was potent
               for them all every day and besides that spent the whole night
with whichever of them
               whose turn it was. Ilived like a prince for a year and a half."

               Not a bad feat acquiring four wives during such a short
period. But maybe it was the
               fish diet rather than the coconuts...
Dominique Schaller
Department of Biochemistry
University of Geneva
Science II
30 quai Ernest Ansermet
CH-1211 Geneva 4
SWITZERLAND

TEL ++41 22 702 6465
FAX ++41 22 329 6102

Dominique.Schaller@biochem.unige.ch
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