Hyophorbe lagenicaulis - The bottle palm is native to Round Island, a small island located about 20 kilometers from the main island of Mauritius. It is mistakenly assumed the odd shaped trunk is the result of water storage capabilities. The swollen trunks of young palms resemble the shape of bottles, but the trunk evens out as the tree matures. Severe habitat loss has put the bottle palm in critical danger within its native range, but it is cultivated throughout the tropical zones of the world.
- - - - -
Mauritius had been visited by Arab and Portuguese seafarers, but it was the Dutch who built the first permanent settlement on the island in 1638, naming the site in honor of Prince Maurice van Nassau. The Dutch colony was unsuccessful and abandoned in 1710. Shortly after the Dutch retreat, the French made an attempt and succeeded in colonizing the island. The French retained control of Mauritius until losing the island to the British in 1810. In 1968, Mauritius became an independent nation.
