Rare coconut tree on sale for $1m

Scientists in Ivory Coast are trying to sell a rare multi-headed coconut tree for a million dollars.

They have yet to find a buyer. Most coconut palms have a single trunk and head - this one has three heads.

"It is a rare botanical curiosity", says Dr Roland Bourdeix, who works with the Marc Delorme coconut research station outside Abidjan.

"We have 150,000 palm trees in this research plantation and there is only one which has three heads like this."

Such branching is sometimes a result of an insect attack or falling palm frond, but in this case there are no signs of damage, meaning the branching could be genetic.

This palm was imported from Malaysia about 40 years ago.

"We are going to multiply the tree about 150 times to see if the progeny have three or even four heads."

It will take 20 years to find out. - bbc