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This is an introductory article on a rather unknown area of the world. The Mascareignes consist of three islands ; Reunion, which is a French department 10000km from Paris, Mauritius, which was British until its independency in 1968, and Rodrigue which belongs to Mauritius. Small dots in the Ocean but full of wonders!
The archipelago lays in the South-West Indian Ocean, between latitude 19°45' and 20°51' South and longitude 57°18' and 63°25' East, slightly above the Capricorn tropic, 700 km east of Madagascar and 2000km east of Africa. The climate is therefore tropical, tempered by altitude on Reunion, with basically two seasons ; the cool onewith temperatures around 20-22°C (68-71°F) and a warm one with temperatures around 26-28°C (78-82°F.), which is also the cyclones season...Rains are unevenly distributed, the eastern coast of Reunion having a world record with 2735 mm in three days in 1987 while the western part has very dry parts with Euphorbias and other succulents growing. All three islands have the same geological background, formed by emerging volcanoes, the only still active one being on Reunion, the Piton de la Fournaise, which spits lava in the Ocean every once in a while. Mauritius is the elder of the gang, with eight million years while Reunion is only three million years old and infant Rodrigue just one and a half. The most evident effect of this age difference is that Mauritius is rather flat and eroded while Reunion is still very mountainous and steep, the highest point at Piton des Neiges is 3070 m (6210 feet) high.
Now, the historic part ; Pedro de Mascarenhas, a Portuguese admiral is the one who gave its name to the archipelago though Reunion was discovered in 1507 by Fernandez Pereira, another Portuguese seaman. French people started to settle in 1665, and coffee as well as sugarcane crops which began in the 18th century required many slaves from India, Africa and Madagascar. It is more or less what happened in Mauritius, so those islands have remained virgin paradise void of men for millions of years...But the islands were first discovered by Arab sailors duringthe tenth century though they only used them for water supply and hunting.
The flora of the Mascareignes has a quite high endemic rate (endemic means that the concerned species, either plant or animal, developed only in the concerned place and will not be found anywhere else unless it has been exported). 526 species endemic to the archipelago have been described so far. This high endemism is the result of geographical isolation and long-time evolving. Seeds and plants parts started to be washed ashore as soon as the lava was cold, coming on sea currents from Africa, Madagascar and Indo-Pacific area, then slowly evolving. Other seeds or spores were brought by cyclones and birds. Another characteristic of the local flora is the heterophily which means that a plant in its young stage will have very different leaves in terms of shape, colour and size than the same plant once adult. So what looks like two different plants might be the same species at different ages...Reunion has a much richer flora than Mauritius because of the mountains which make part of the inner island unreachable and certainly impossible to use for crops, the elevation giving also raise to many micro-climates and ecological niches. Endemic plants are found amongst trees ; Mimusops maxima (Sapotaceae family), Agauria salicifolia (Ericaceae), Aphloia theaeformis (Flacourtiaceae), amongst epiphytes (plants which grow on another one though not being parasitic) such as orchids like Bulbophyllum sp., Angraecum squamatum or ferns like Blechnum attenuatum, Antrophyum boryanum, Cyathea borbonica (one of several tree ferns), amongst vines ; Hugonia serrata (Linaceae), Danais fragrans (Rubiaceae) etc...
Of course this endemic flora have greatly suffered once men began to settle, logging trees for building ships, houses, cutting down edible palm trees, burning the forest in order to grow food. Another hard hit was the introduction of foreign plants, some becoming such invasive species that they do colonize whole areas like Hedychium gardnerianum, Psidium cattleyanum, Syzygium jambos, Lantana camara and so on. Local botanical institutions now work on a preservation schedule, growing endangered species and reintroducing them back in the wild. Many endemics can be seen while hiking around the island, a favourite activity here.
Though those islands are quite small (Reunion is 2512 square km, Mauritius 1865 and Rodrigue only 119) they do have a lot to offer for the nature lover though you have to appreciate plants are animals are rather scarce and limited mostly to birds and insects.
About Jean-Jacques Segalen
I am a Parisian born professional horticulturist specialized in tropical seeds producing, set on Reunion island (just between Mauritius and Madagascar) 17 years ago. I spend a lot of time gathering seeds in the wild, the ones I do not grow that is. Also a dedicated Tai-Chi practitioner and tree climber!
Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on May 5, 2008 at 7:05 PM:
Aloha and yokwe Jean-Jacques! It was such a pleasure reading about another little known and remote island. I'm very sorry that it has taken me so long to welcome you into the writer's group, and just to say hello from one islander to another. Although your island is quite a bit larger (!!) than mine. The pictures are beautiful, very reminicent of the volcanic islands in our part of the world. Unfortunately for me, my little island is part of a coral atoll, and therefore flat, flat, flat. Thanks for the look at the beauty that results from the volcanic explosions of our remote past.
Looking forward to more!
Shari
...
Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on May 6, 2008 at 2:57 AM:
Hi Shari,
Marshall islands then, I guess this rings a bell for most US citizens but I can tell you that very few French people would have any idea where to find them on a map! You are close to places I would love to visit, the Bismarck archipelago and New-Guinea, hope I will make it some day!
I spent some time on coral islands off the coat of Belize, nice but rather flat as you say, the fantastic thing with Reunion is the diversity brought by the moutains.
JJ
...
Subject: Wonderful!
Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on April 4, 2008 at 4:39 PM:
You are a great addition to our global group of writers. I loved learning about your island and am looking forward to reading more.
...
Posted by Kelli (from Los Angeles (Canoga , CA) on April 4, 2008 at 5:15 PM:
Is Mauritius where the dodo used to live? A while back, I read something about a palm tree that was located on the same island as the dodo and the tree was in danger of going extinct because the seeds only germinated after going through the digestived tract of a dodo. Scientists were looking for some other bird that might have the same effect.
...
Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on April 4, 2008 at 9:01 PM:
You have given us a glimpse into your world, and it is beautiful! Thank you for an excellent article.
...
Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 4, 2008 at 11:38 PM:
Nice warm reactions! Thanks all!
Yes, Mauritius hosted the dodo bird, as well as Reunion, it was an easy prey for sailors at it could not fly and had never seen humans so would not even be afraid, people used to hunt them with a stick! I know the story about the dodo's digestive track and seeds but it was not a palm but a tree called 'tambalacoque' (Sideroxylon grandiflorum) of the Sapotaceae family. People first used turkeys as seeds starters and then found out a simpler way by using acid, so the tree which was on the verge of extinction is now saved but it is too late for our poor dodo...
...
Posted by Kelli (from Los Angeles (Canoga , CA) on April 5, 2008 at 6:03 PM:
I'm glad the found a way to save the tree. (I don't know if the report said that it was a palm tree, that's just how I remember it.) The subject would make a good article. (Hint, hint)
...
Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 6, 2008 at 2:18 AM:
Hi Kelli,
Mmh, yes good hint! Endemic species saving in an important issue here, many have been lost but people are attached to the plants and many try to grow them in the backyard, though this is not sceintific it is effective.
...
Posted by Horseshoe (from Efland, NC) on April 13, 2008 at 2:39 PM:
jjacques, I just now read this article after coming across your other one today. What great topics and info, it is like coming to visit you and the island(s)!
Many thanks! I'll be looking forward to more!
Shoe
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Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 14, 2008 at 9:48 AM:
Shoe,
When even half the people who want to come visit the island will do so it will become quite crowded over here! You're welcome anytime;))
JJ
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Posted by Horseshoe (from Efland, NC) on April 14, 2008 at 11:12 AM:
I reckon you better appease us with some more articles, eh? That'll keep your island from becoming a metropolis then! Guess we'll visit via internet!
Happy Gardening in All the Gardens of Life!
Shoe
...
Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 14, 2008 at 11:23 AM:
No worry, articles will keep you folks awake and start staring at this remote part of the world, my next article (next sunday I guess) is on some amazing plants and animals from Madagascar.
Happy gardening to you too!
JJ
PS; does your nickname comes from the game? I played it in Montana many years ago...
...
Posted by Horseshoe (from Efland, NC) on April 14, 2008 at 11:58 AM:
OH boy, gonna include some animals this time! Great!
Will be watching.
As for my name, nope, haven't played horseshoes in years. The name came about 'cus I found one once (and that's another story altogether!).
Keep smiilin'!
Shoe
...
Posted by TexasPuddyPrint (from Edinburg, TX) on May 8, 2008 at 10:03 PM:
JJ....
Loved it! Now am waiting for an article with lots and lots and lots of photographs of the lepidoptera from your island :o)
~ Cat
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Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on May 9, 2008 at 8:24 AM:
Hi Cat,
Mmmh, I will have to fix my wings back and go after those Lepidopteras then!!
JJ
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Subject: How lovely!
Posted by doccat5 (from Fredericksburg, VA) on April 4, 2008 at 8:04 AM:
Good article, thanks for sharing the information, Jean-Jacques!
...
Posted by sallyg (from Anne Arundel Co., MD) on April 4, 2008 at 12:05 PM:
very interesting and nice choice of pictures
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Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 4, 2008 at 12:14 PM:
Thanks, I am glad you appreciate, as this is my first article for DG I wanted people to get an idea of where I am, many people even in France have no idea where Reunion is though Mauritius is better known because of its high tourism activity.
...
Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on April 4, 2008 at 12:25 PM:
Lovely! Thanks for the introduction, both of yourself and of your home.
...
Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on April 4, 2008 at 1:57 PM:
I really enjoyed the article. Years ago when Il ived in England I was able to import some plumeria cuttings from Reunion because they are a part of France and therefore the EU. I always thought this hilarious. But I was happy to be able to get the plumeria!!
...
Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 4, 2008 at 11:41 PM:
Yes, this is a rather funny thing, we are almost as far as possible from Europe but still part of it! So we get all the goodies; nice tropical weather and French baguette for breakfast, nothing else but a blueprint of paradise;))
...
Posted by mwperry (from Brandon, MS) on April 8, 2008 at 4:16 AM:
Jean-Jacques, thank you for your marvelous article giving us a view into Reunion and Mauritius. It sounds like paradise! I did not know these islands existed. The only archipelagos I have known about was in "The Origin" which was about Charles Darwin and his voyage in the Beagle to the archipelagos. Wow, I would love to get my hands on some of your seeds!
Martha
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Posted by jjacques (from LE TAMPON
(Reunion (French))) on April 8, 2008 at 4:33 AM:
Hi Martha,
Yes, It has some taste of paradise but there are several archipelago in the area which are stunning, all around Madagascar and in the Comoros, amazing coral reef and as they are rather undevelopped no industrial pollution, you can swim with giant sea tortoises and encounter lemurians in the forests! I will soon edit an article on wild life in Madagascar.
...
Posted by mwperry (from Brandon, MS) on April 8, 2008 at 5:38 AM:
Oh, goodie. I look forward to your next article with exuberance!
