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Green Giants
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The giant kelp seaweed can grow 45cm in single day.
The roots of the South African wild fig tree can extend to a depth of around 120m.
The largest seed is that of the giant fan palm or coco-de-mer that grows only in the Seychelles. The seed can weigh up to 20kg.
The leaves of the raffia palm, one of over 2500 species of palm trees, are the largest in the world, growing to 20m in length. Their leaf stalks, or petioles, alone can extend to almost 4m.
The world record for the weight of an onion stands at 5.5kg. This is heavier than a man’s head.
The banyan or Indian fig tree produces shoots from its vast spreading branches that take root to form new trunks. The largest known specimen has some 1775 supporting roots and its canopy covers more than 1.2 hectares.
 | | The vast array of supporting roots help prevent the banyan tree from falling over. |
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Previous:
Back
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Book:
Horrible but True
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Section:
Natural World
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Chapter:
Weird Plants
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