Flora

Reunion Island was originally covered by a thick tropical forest. Little by little, this forest has handed over to sugar cane, coffee and geranium crops. The coffee crop has now disappeared, the two other crops still remain.
Clearing, combined with some plant deseases (brought in by the settlers without their knowing) has led to the extinction of some endemic species.

Nevertheless, primary forests still covers about 20,000 hectares.
Microclimates have generated very different types of forest according to the area.

In the Mascarene Islands, More than half of the plant species are endemic. Most of these species are located in Reunion Island, because they are naturally protected by the relief.

Besides the forests, there are also among them many ferns and blooms.
The botanical conservatory of the Mascarene Islands studies and protects them.

Orchid	Orchid	Hibiscus	Flamboyant

Of course, you can also find many fruits and vegetables, that are more or less tropical.
Some varieties of banana, mango and pineapple can only be found in Reunion Island and Mauritius. Despite their great flavour, these fruits are hardly exported for economic reasons.

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