Tagua Palm - Phytelephas macrocarpa

24 x 16cm (9.5 x 6.5 inches)

The main use of the tagua palm is of the vegetable ivory of its seeds. This is hard and dense with an attractive cream colour, which, on polishing, compares favourably with true ivory.

This beautiful lithograph with original hand coloring was made in 1851 and comes from Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe by Louis van Houtte, a famous nineteenth century Belgian horticulturalist. He employed plant collectors to bring back attractive plants from around the world then illustrated many of the most beautiful in his celebrated work Flore des Serres. This is a genuine antique not a reproduction and is in good condition.

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