Coconut

Coconut – Cocos nucifera. This palm, being tolerant of salty, sandy soils, is often found
growing at the top of beaches in tropical lands, although plantations are also to be found inland. It is essentially a smallholders’ crop. The plant also grows in some subtropical regions, for example Florida. Its origin and domestication have been the subject of much discussion and there is no universal agreement, but a commonly held view is that it originated in the Melanesian area of the Pacific, then was taken in prehistoric times to Asia. Later, it was carried to East Africa, Panama, and the Atlantic coasts of the Americas and Africa. No doubt humans were responsible for much of this dispersal but a number of botanists are of the opinion that the coconut fruits could float in sea water and be dispersed by ocean currents over considerable distances without losing their ability to germinate if a suitable site is reached.