Cocos nucifera
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Cocos nucifera habit. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Cocos nucifera habit. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Cocos nucifera stem. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Cocos nucifera fibers |
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Cocos nucifera leaflets |
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Cocos nucifera closer view of leaflets |
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Cocos nucifera leaflet with ramenta on abaxial midrib and tiny scales scattered on blade |
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Cocos nucifera inflorescence. Photograph courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, Guide to Palms http://palmguide.org/index.php |
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Cocos nucifera fruit |
Common name
coconut palm
Description
Stem: Solitary, usually leaning or curving, but can be erect, to 25 m tall and 30 cm in diameter, gray to brown in color, with ridged leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
scars, and a bulging base. Leaves: Pinnatepinnate:
like a feather; palms with pinnate leaves usually have compound leaflets attached to a rachis, although a pinnate leaf may be entire with pinnate veins (e.g., <em>Chamaedorea metallica</em>)
, reduplicatereduplicate:
Most palm leaflets or leaf segments are obviously folded. If the folds create an upside-down V-shape, with the margins lower than the midrib (so that rain might "run off the roof"), the folding is reduplicate.
, to 7 m long, with regularly arranged leaflets spreading in a single plane, held stiffly at first, but eventually drooping. There are no spines, but the leafleaf:
in palms -- the leaf blade (which is usually divided into leaflets or leaf segments), the petiole (or leaf stalk) and the sheath (which forms the attachment of the leaf to the stem)
sheaths have matted fibers that resemble woven, burlap-like fabric. Flowers and fruit: Inflorescenceinflorescence:
the reproductive structure of a flowering plant, including palms, consisting of flowers and associated bracts
1-1.5 m long and branched to one order. Staminatestaminate:
a flower bearing stamens but no pistils; a “male” flower
and pistillatepistillate:
a flower bearing a pistil but no stamens; a “female” flower
flowers are produced on the same inflorescenceinflorescence:
the reproductive structure of a flowering plant, including palms, consisting of flowers and associated bracts
and may be cream to white in color. The pistillatepistillate:
a flower bearing a pistil but no stamens; a “female” flower
flowers are large, leathery and spherical in bud; staminatestaminate:
a flower bearing stamens but no pistils; a “male” flower
flowers are smaller, leathery, and asymetrically ovoid. Fruits are up to 20 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and yellow to brown when mature.
Diagnostic features
Field: This is perhaps the most well-known palm species. This graceful, solitary palm has coconuts.
Lab: The underside of Cocos nucifera leaflets have small tan to brown ramentaramenta:
irregularly shaped, thin scales, sometimes found along the abaxial midrib of a leaflet
along the midrib and tiny brown scales fringed with white.
May be confused with
There are many named cultivars that can be difficult to separate. Identifying cultivars, varieties and subspecies is beyond the scope of this tool.
Distribution
This species is cultivated in coastal areas througout the tropics and some sub-tropical countries. Its origin is uncertain and historically has been debated, but it is most often suggested to be from tropical areas of the Pacific.
Additional comments
Cultivated throughout the tropical world, usually at low elevations, as a crop and as a landscape ornamental.
Scientific name
Cocos nucifera L.
Family
Arecaceae/Palmae
Synonyms
Palma cocos Miller
