'Ce singulier arbre'. Ravenala madagascariensis, Traveler's Tree, Taman Tasik Taiping, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
Ah! Those voyagers and explorers of past centuries! Intrepid, resourceful, men and women with great stamina, sometimes credulous but often sceptically curious. One such was Frenchman Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814), a naturalist who in royal service made several voyages to Africa and the Far East.
On Madagascar Sonnerat was much impressed by 'that singular tree', which was called Ravinala or in Latin Ravenala after the local name. He'd heard of several 'strange' uses for it, but dispenses with those stories: 'Je n'en ai vu faire aucun usage': I saw no use made of it at all.
Ravenala madagascariensis is called 'The Traveler's Tree' in English. Two reasons are given for that name: its fan-shaped fronds are said always to grow east-west, thus affording travelers a primitive compass; others have declared that the rain water it collects in its 'pockets' sustains thirsty travelers (although that water would appear to be unfit for human consumption...). I think I'd rather go with Sonnerat's judgment: no use but exceptionally beautiful.
Indeed, Ravenala is planted for decorative purposes in landscape parks such as the delightful Lake Gardens at Taiping. Here are a few stands of that tree, related to the banana but not to the palmier, on the banks of what was formerly a tin mine. This was in fact the view I had when I was stalking 'my' Mason Wasp (see the previous photo).
PS If you want to read more particulars of Sonnerat's eloquent description: beware of internet sources that refer to volume II, p.223 of his work; how that mistake came to be I don't know. But the correct reference is:
Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, fait depuis 1774 jusqu'à 1781 (1782), vol. III, pp.244vv.
'Ce singulier arbre'. Ravenala madagascariensis, Traveler's Tree, Taman Tasik Taiping, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia
Ah! Those voyagers and explorers of past centuries! Intrepid, resourceful, men and women with great stamina, sometimes credulous but often sceptically curious. One such was Frenchman Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814), a naturalist who in royal service made several voyages to Africa and the Far East.
On Madagascar Sonnerat was much impressed by 'that singular tree', which was called Ravinala or in Latin Ravenala after the local name. He'd heard of several 'strange' uses for it, but dispenses with those stories: 'Je n'en ai vu faire aucun usage': I saw no use made of it at all.
Ravenala madagascariensis is called 'The Traveler's Tree' in English. Two reasons are given for that name: its fan-shaped fronds are said always to grow east-west, thus affording travelers a primitive compass; others have declared that the rain water it collects in its 'pockets' sustains thirsty travelers (although that water would appear to be unfit for human consumption...). I think I'd rather go with Sonnerat's judgment: no use but exceptionally beautiful.
Indeed, Ravenala is planted for decorative purposes in landscape parks such as the delightful Lake Gardens at Taiping. Here are a few stands of that tree, related to the banana but not to the palmier, on the banks of what was formerly a tin mine. This was in fact the view I had when I was stalking 'my' Mason Wasp (see the previous photo).
PS If you want to read more particulars of Sonnerat's eloquent description: beware of internet sources that refer to volume II, p.223 of his work; how that mistake came to be I don't know. But the correct reference is:
Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, fait depuis 1774 jusqu'à 1781 (1782), vol. III, pp.244vv.