Cuban VP plants rare endemic sapling, visits Botanical Gardens |17 February 2018

On the last day of her three-day official visit to Seychelles yesterday morning, Mercedes López  Acea, the Vice-President of the State Council of the Republic of Cuba, planted an endemic sapling not far from the entrance of the Botanical Gardens before being led on a guided tour of parts of the gardens.

VP Acea was honoured to plant the first Bwa Gro Lapo sapling in the Botanical Gardens. Scientifically known as Grisollea thomassetii the species is said to be very rare here.

“It is among the rarest of our endemic species usually found in forests and at very high altitude and this is why we avail of such opportunities to allow important dignitaries to plant such species which is very important to us,” said Raymond Antoine Brioche, the chief executive  of the Seychelles National Botanical Gardens Foundation.

He added that as we strive to continue protecting our rare endemic species, planting the Bwa Gro Lapo sapling in the Botanical Gardens for the first time is very significant for us.

Mr Brioche noted that the plant grows very slowly and can reach a maximum height of five to six metres, is ideal to grow in the homes as well because the roots are small and cause no damage to infrastructure.

The Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change Didier Dogley and key officials from his ministry, Mr Bioche himself and other guests accompanied VP Acea on her tour of the garden during which she marvelled at the different plant species spread out to provide a canopy which keep out the hot rays of the sun in various parts of the gardens.

VP Acea and her delegation also visited the giant tortoise enclosure and spare a few minutes to feed the curious giant tortoises which had come out from their slumber to have a peek at the early morning visitors.

Following the visit at the Botanical Gardens VP Acea and her delegation travelled to Praslin.