Coco de Mer ·  Afrique de l´Est · ID: 3037959

Description

of characteristic form, shiny patina, slightly dam.;
the coco de mer is the fruit of the Seychelle palm, the sole member of the genus Lodoicea, a palm endemic to the Seychelles. Until the true source of the nut was discovered in 1768, it was believed by many to grow on a mythical tree at the bottom of the sea. European nobles in the sixteenth century would often have the shells of these nuts cleaned and decorated with valuable jewels as collectibles for their private galleries. The Coco de Mer is now a rare protected species.