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Bizarre Self-Destructing Palm Tree Found
Smivs writes "A giant self-destructing palm tree has been discovered in Madagascar. The palm is 20m (60ft) high with leaves 5m (16ft) long, the tallest tree of its type in the country, but for most of its life — around 100 years — it appears fairly unremarkable apart from its size. However, when it flowers, it puts so much energy into an impressive flower-spike, that it eventually collapses and dies.
Dr John Dransfield, who announced the tree in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, is baffled as to how it came to be in the country.
It bears a resemblance to a species of palm found in regions of Asia; 6,000km away. It is thought that the palm has gone through a remarkable evolution since Madagascar split with India some 80m years ago."
if it is a coconut palm, it was probably carried there two african swallows and a piece of string.
It may, however, be among the largest and the first to use gravity to kill itself
What about lemmings?
"is baffled as to how the it came to be in the country"
Looks like they left out fsck in the middle.No wonder this is a Slashdot story pick. People around here are very familiar with palms and reproductive spikes.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
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With fronds like that, who needs enemies?