Cocos nucifera Essay -- Botany

Cocos nucifera Cocos nucifera is the scientific name of the common coconut. This very tall palm tree is always an inviting symbol of the tropics. The plant is one of the most valuable plants to man. It is a primary source of food, drink, and shelter. In Sanskrit the coconut palm is called "kalpa vriksha", which is defined as "the tree which provides all the necessities of life." Man can use every part of the coconut. The white nut-meat can be eaten raw or shredded and dried and used in most cooking recipes. A single coconut has as much protein as a quarter pound of beefsteak. Copra, the dried meat of the kernels, when crushed is the source of coconut oil. The husks, known as coir, is a short, coarse, elastic fibers used to make an excellent thatch roofing material for houses. This very diverse plant is also an excellent charcoal, which is produced from the shells, not only does it work as a cooking fuel, but also in the production of gas masks and air filters. The outer part of the trunk of the coconut palm furnishes, a construction lumber, known as porcupine wood for houses and furniture. The swollen base of the trunk, when hollowed, can be turned into a hula drum that the Hawaiians use for entertainment. These are just a few examples of how extraordinary the coconut palm can be utilized. The coconut was first mentioned in 545 AD by an Egyptian Monk named Cosmos Indicopleustes. He visited western India and Ceylon. In his "Topographia Christiana", Cosmos describes the coconut as the "great nut of India." The Mahavasma, an ancient chronological history of Ceylon, describes the planting of coconuts in that country in 589 AD. In 1280 Marco Polo, described coconut growing in Sumatra, as well as in Madras and Malabar... ...aried utilization of the coconut will always be important in the economic aspect. Raw Copra used to be the major export but as coconut oil is becoming more widely used its export is increasing. Another change is the export of coconuts in the shell to the exporting of desiccated coconut. Both of these changes have benefited the countries of origin by creating more employment in the tropics. The coconut has been a growing success since the time it was first discovered and to this day this very diverse plant is still showing great potential. REFERENCES Child, Reginald. "Coconuts". 2nd edition. Longman Group Ltd. 1974. Woodruff, Jasper Guy, Ph.D. "Coconuts: Production, Processing, Products." The Avi Publishing Co, Inc, 1970. Encyclopedia Americana. Vol. 7 1989. Collier's Encyclopedia. Vol. 6 1984. Dictionary of Archaeology "The facts of file."