Images Dated 2011 May

435. Protea and Golden-breasted Cuckoo, of South Africa

This magnificent Protea (P. speciosa, Linn.) grows about as tall as a man, and is remarkable alike for its thick, red-margined leaves, and its elegantly fringed bracts. Over a century ago (1786) Masson sent seeds of it to Kew, and the first plant flo

© RBG KEW

Art, Artist, Birds, Cuckoo, Flowers, Golden Breasted, Leaves, Marianne North, Painting, Protea, Purple, South Africa

474. Coco de Mer Gorge in Praslin, with distant view of Mahe Sil

The Coco de Mer or Double Cocoanut (Lodoicea sechellarum, Labill.) is peculiar to the Seychelles, and only abundant in Praslin; but long previous to the discovery of the group, in 1743, its enormous nuts were found floating in distant parts of the se

© RBG KEW

Art, Artist, Coco De Mer Gorge, Double Cocoanut, Landscape, Leaves, Mahe, Marianne North, Painting, Praslin

499. A Tripod Cocoanut, Mahe, Seychelles

The hut is made of the plaited leaves of the cocoanut and roofed with the same in the natural state.
In an early state the ovary of the future fruit of the cocoanut is three-celled, each cell containing a single ovule ; but two of these are almost

© RBG KEW

Art, Artist, Landscape, Leaves, Mahe, Marianne North, Painting, Seychelles