coconut palm

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Coconut Palm
• Coconut
• copra
• Cocopalm

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cocos nucifera var. mamillaris
• Calappa nucifera
• Cocos nucifera var. aurea
• Diplothemium henryanum
• Cocos indica
• Cocos nucifera var. synphyllica
• Cocos nana
• Cocos nucifera f. palmyrensis
• Cocos nucifera var. spicata
• Cocos nucifera var. pumila
• Cocos nucifera var. palmyrensis
• Cocos nucifera var. rubescens
• Cocos mamillaris
• Cocos nucifera var. angustifolia
• Cocos nucifera var. viridis
• Cocos nucifera var. alba
• Cocos nucifera var. rutila
• Cocos nucifera var. macrocarpa
• Cocos nucifera var. saccharina
• Cocos nucifera var. machaeroides
• Cocos nucifera var. capuliformis
• Cocos nucifera var. cistiformis
• Cocos nucifera var. regia
• Cocos nucifera var. pretiosa
• Cocos nucifera var. lansiformis
• Cocos nucifera var. maldivica
• Cocos nucifera var. eburnea
• Cocos nucifera var. fragilis
• Cocos nucifera var. stupposa
• Cocos nucifera var. alangan
• Cocos nucifera var. pruniformis
• Cocos nucifera var. suavis
• Cocos nucifera var. austera
• Cocos nucifera var. bego
• Cocos nucifera var. crassissima
• Cocos nucifera var. buri
• Cocos nucifera var. calimbahin
• Cocos nucifera var. tenuissima
• Cocos nucifera var. como
• Cocos nucifera var. iners
• Cocos nucifera var. laetevirens
• Cocos nucifera var. lolog
• Cocos nucifera var. delicata
• Cocos nucifera var. humilis
• Cocos nucifera var. edulis
• Cocos nucifera var. subcandida
• Cocos nucifera var. ossea
• Cocos nucifera var. tabogog
• Cocos nucifera var. tamisan
• Cocos nucifera var. elongata
• Cocos nucifera var. sapida
• Cocos nucifera var. fibrosa
• Cocos nucifera var. subamara
• Cocos nucifera var. pinang
• Cocos nucifera var. nana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Arecales and the family Arecaceae, it is classified under the genus Cocos.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Cocos nucifera, exhibits a specific geographical presence across several regions of West Tropical Africa. Within this part of the continent, it can be found growing in the coastal and tropical landscapes of Benin. Its distribution also extends to the nation of Gambia, where environmental conditions support its growth. Furthermore, the plant is documented throughout the territories of Ghana and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its range reaches into Guinea, rounding out its presence in this West African stretch.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Cocos nucifera is characterized by its presence in diverse environments ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 1500 m AMSL. It is commonly found inhabiting anthropogenic areas, Ombrophilous forests (equivalent to rain forests), and restinga ecosystems. In terms of biological survival strategies, the species does not possess specific chemical or structural defense mechanisms.

Defense :

no

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Restinga

Genetics

The genetics of Cocos nucifera are characterized by a stable karyotype that plays a fundamental role in its evolutionary biology and breeding potential. The species possesses a chromosome number of 32, a feature that serves as a key cytogenetic marker for distinguishing between various cultivars and wild accessions. Furthermore, the plant maintains a diploid ploidy level of 2, indicating that its somatic cells contain two complete sets of chromosomes. This diploid nature influences the complexity of its inheritance patterns and provides a structured genomic framework for studying traits such as nut size, oil content, and resistance to environmental stressors.

Chromosome number :

32

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Cocos nucifera is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist and produce fruit over many years. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are located high above the ground on a robust, unbranched stem, a trait that classifies it within both the phanerophyte and specifically the phanerophyte life form categories. This species maintains an evergreen habit, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and green throughout the year without a seasonal shedding period.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Cocos nucifera is characterized by its robust growth form as a woody tree, specifically functioning as a self-supporting, independent organism that does not rely on other plants for support or nutrients. As a terrestrial species, it exhibits an erect shoot orientation and lacks any aquatic, climbing, or epiphytic tendencies. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with a mean height of approximately 21.83 m, though individual specimens can range from a minimum of 15 m to a maximum of 30 m. Its structural development includes a maximum diameter at breast height (DBH) of 40 cm and a maximum shoot length reaching up to 3500 cm.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

DBH max:

40 cm

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

30 m

Plant height mean:

21.8333333333333 m

Plant height min:

15 m

Shoot length max:

3500 cm

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Cocos nucifera is characterized by a specialized metabolic and structural framework adapted for tropical environments. It utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway to convert light energy into chemical energy, a process that dictates its carbon fixation efficiency and gas exchange patterns. Morphologically, the plant features large, elongated leaves that typically range in length from a minimum of 400 cm to a maximum of 830 cm, providing a substantial surface area for light interception. These leaves are structurally distinct in that they lack leaf spines, and the plant does not exhibit any form of succulence, meaning it relies on different mechanisms for water storage and management rather than fleshy tissues. Additionally, Cocos nucifera is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, thus depending instead on the availability of nutrients within the soil substrate.

Leaf length max:

830 cm

Leaf length min:

400 cm

Leaf spines :

no

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Cocos nucifera is characterized by an abiotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by wind. The flowering process involves inflorescences that can vary significantly in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.15 m to a maximum of 18 m, featuring yellow-colored flowers. Self-fertilization is present within the species, facilitating the development of its fruit. The resulting fruits, which exhibit a brown coloration, vary in dimensions with a minimum length of 10 cm and a maximum of 35 cm (averaging 21.25 cm), and a minimum width of 8 cm and a maximum of 20 cm (averaging 14 cm). Each fruit typically contains between 1 and 10 seeds. These seeds are substantial in size, with a minimum length of 100 mm and a mass ranging from a minimum of 167 g to a maximum of 1276 g, with a mean seed mass of 576.8 g. Dispersal is achieved through a hydrochorous syndrome, utilizing water to transport the seeds to new locations.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit length max:

35 cm

Fruit length mean:

21.25 cm

Fruit length min:

10 cm

Fruit width max:

20 cm

Fruit width mean:

14 cm

Fruit width min:

8 cm

Inflorescence length max:

18 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.15 m

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Seed length min:

100 mm

Seed mass max:

1276 g

Seed mass mean:

576.8 g

Seed mass min:

167 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Cocos nucifera has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Saudi journal of biological sciences
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. Heliyon

Chemicals

Cocos nucifera has 185 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include lauric acid, Flavonoids, CALCIUM, CAPRIC ACID, IRON.

lauric acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
3. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and essential fatty acids
4. La Clinica terapeutica
5. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Flavonoids

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Journal of food biochemistry

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry

CAPRIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry

MYRISTIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

SYRINGALDEHYDE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Tannins

1. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets
2. Journal of food biochemistry

caprylic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

vanillin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Activities

Cocos nucifera has 601 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
3. Cureus
4. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
5. ACS omega

Antimicrobial

1. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
2. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
3. ACS omega
4. La Clinica terapeutica

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
3. La Clinica terapeutica

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. La Clinica terapeutica
3. PloS one

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. ACS omega
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Antiplasmodial

1. Human & experimental toxicology
2. Scientifica
3. PloS one

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
3. La Clinica terapeutica

Antiarthritic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas

Conditions

Cocos nucifera has 55 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include malaria, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, American trypanosomiasis, Bacillus cereus.

Malaria

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Human & experimental toxicology
3. PloS one

Hypertension

1. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
2. Pharmacognosy research

Alzheimer's disease

1. La Clinica terapeutica

American trypanosomiasis

1. PloS one

Bacillus cereus

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Candida albicans

1. Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society

Chagas' disease

1. PloS one

Cryptosporidiosis

1. Turkiye parazitolojii dergisi

Escherichia coli

1. Foods (Basel, Switzerland)

Fusobacterium nucleatum

1. Archives of oral biology

Preparations

Cocos nucifera has 25 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Crude methanolic extracts, NPNC, NPNCH, NPNCS, Non alcoholic palm nectar.

Crude methanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Npnc

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Npnch

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Npncs

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Non alcoholic palm nectar

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Nonalcoholic palm nectar

1. Journal of food biochemistry

White flesh extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Zls

1. Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine

Aqueous and methanolic extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Chloroform

1. Turkish journal of medical sciences