Description: A tall evergreen palm with a single slender trunk and a crown of large pinnate leaves. Fruits contain a fibrous husk, hard shell and edible kernel.

Identification: Unbranched palm trunk; large feather-like fronds; clusters of large coconuts.

Habitat & distribution: Tropical coastal and lowland environments; extensively cultivated throughout Kerala.

Uses / importance: Coconut provides food, oil, fibre, water, timber and other products. It is one of Kerala’s most important traditional crops.

Taxonomy:
Kingdom – Plantae
Clade – Angiosperms
Clade – Monocots
Order – Arecales
Family – Arecaceae
Genus – Cocos
Species – C. nucifera

Sources: Kew POWO; ICAR; Kerala agricultural resources.