A Life Fruit of South India: Cocos nucifera L.

Sanjeet Kumar

Cocos nucifera L.

Local name: “Nodia”

Botanical Name: Cocos nucifera L.

Family: Arecaceae

Vernacular Name(s)                                                  Taxonomic Classification

Bengali:   Dab- B                                                        Kingdom: Plantae

Hindi:  Nariyal                                                            Order: Arecales

Telgu: Nari Kelamu                                                     Family: Arecaceae

English: Coconut                                                         Genus: Cocus

Sanskrit : Kalpa-vriksha                                              Species: nucifera

                                                                                   

Botany of Cocus nucifera L.

Tall palm or dwarf in some times; stem straight or sinuous, marked with ring-like leaf –scars. Leaves long, leaflets numerous, close, equidistant, lanceolate.Spadix long, divided into numerous drooping spikes bearing female with a few bisexual flowers. Fruit green or yellowish, obtusely 3- quetrous.

Distribution

Cultivated and naturalized in the hot damp regions of India, especially near the sea. Throughout the Indo-Pacific World and cultivated successfully throughout the tropics between 20° N 20° S.

Chemical Compound(s)

Ethanolamine, Phyllococosine and Leucoanthocyanin are major bioactive compounds.

Medicinal Value(s)

Oil is mixed with oil of Pongamia pinnata (Karanja) and the mixed oil is used

Common Use(s)

·        The nut oil is used in cooking; white fleshy part of the seed is edible.

·        Coconut water used as common drink, which provides an isotonic electrolyte balance for body.

·        Fruit is used to make chutney (a common food) in different parts of India.