Cocos nucifera

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syn. Calappa nucifera, Cocos indica, Cocos nana, Cocos nucifera var. synphyllica, Palma cocos

distribution: (within Polynesia) Cook Islands: Aitutaki, 'Atiu, Mangaia, Manihiki, Manuae, Ma'uke, Miti'aro, Nassau, Palmerston, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Rarotonga, Suwarrow, Takutea, Tongareva Fiji: Aiwa, Beachcomber Island, Beqa, Caqelai, Fulaga, Gau, Haua, Kabara, Kadavu, Kaibu, Koro, Lakeba, Laucala, Leleuvia, Mabualau, Makaluva, Mana, Malolo Lailai, Matagi, Matamanoa, Monuriki, Moturiki, Munia, Nacula, Namuka, Nananu, Nanuya Lailai, Nanuya Levu, Nasoata, Naviti, Nayau, Nukubati, Nukulau, Nukulevu, Ogea Levu, Ono, Ovalau, Qamea, Rotuma, Sawa-i-Lau, Taveuni, Tavewa, Toberua, Tokoriki, Totoya, Vanua Balavu, Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Vomo, Vomo Lailai, Wakaya, Waya, Wayasewa, Yadua Taba, Yakuvelevu, Yanucalailai, Yanucalewu, Yasawa Hawai'i Islands: Laysan (ex) Niue Pitcairn Islands (?): Henderson Samoa: Apolima, 'Aunu'u, Fanuatapu, Manono, Namu'a, Nu'ulua, Nu'utele, Ofu, Olosega, Savai'i, Swains Island, Ta'u, Tutuila, 'Upolu Society Islands: Bora Bora, Huahine, Maiao, Manuae, Maupiti, Mehetia, Moorea, Mopelia, Motu One, Motu Puuru, Raiatea, Tahaa, Tahiti, Tetiaroa, Tupai Tokelau: Atafu, Fakaofo, Nukunonu Tonga: Alakipeau, Ata, 'Eua, Fafa, Foa, Fukave, Ha'apai, Kao, Kelefesia, Makaha'a, Malinoa, Manima, Maninita, Motutapu, Mounu, Nuku, Oneata, Onevai, Onevao, Pangaimotu, Polo'a, Tau, Tofua, Tongatabu, Toketoke, Vava'u, Velitoa Hahake, Velitoa Hihifo Tuamotu Archipelago: Agakauitai, Aukena, Kamaka, Kaukura, Mangareva, Taravai, Temoe, Totegegie (Gambier Islands); Ahe, Ahunui, Akiaki, Amanu, Anaa, Anuanuraro, Anuanurunga, Apataki, Aratika, Arutua, Faaite, Fakahina, Fakarava, Fangatau, Fangataufa, Hao, Haraiki, Hereheretue, Hikueru, Hiti, Katiu, Kauehi, Makaroa, Makatea, Makemo, Manihi, Manuhangi, Maria, Marokau, Marutea Nord, Marutea Sud, Mataiva, Matureivavao, Morane, Motutunga, Mururoa, Napuka, Nengonengo, Niau, Nihiru, Nukutavake, Nukutepipi, Paraoa, Pinaki, Pukapuka, Pukarua, Rangiroa, Raraka, Raroia, Ravahere, Reao, Reitoru, Rekareka, Taenga, Tahanea, Taiaro, Takapoto, Takaroa, Takume, Tatakoto, Tauere, Tehuata, Tekokota, Tematangi, Tenararo, Tenarunga, Tepoto Nord, Tepoto Sud, Tikehau, Tikei, Toau, Tuanake, Tureia, Vahanga, Vahitahi, Vairaatea, Vanavana Tubuai Islands: Maria, Raivavae, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai Tuvalu: Funafuti, Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niulakita, Niutao, Nui, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu Wallis and Futuna: Alofi, Faioa, Fenua Fo'ou, Futuna, Nukuatea, Nukuhione, Nukutapu, Uvea

native name: plant: fateka - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with light yellow-green nuts) ha'ari - Society Islands hakara - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (fully grown plant with trunk, about 6. or 7. years old) hakari - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago heheko - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with reddish brown nuts) heru - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with nuts in which the upper part is scarlet coloured) hoka - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (fully grown plant with beginning grwoth of trunk) koheko - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with reddish brown nuts) kurakura - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with reddish nuts) mamagu - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with dark green nuts) motea - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (variety with pale green nuts) nana - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (young plant with sprouts not split into leaflets) ni - Manihiki, Rakahanga / Cook-Inseln niu - Aitutaki, Nassau, Pukapuka, Tongarewa / Cook Islands; Maupiti / Society Islands; Rotuma, Vanua Levu / Fiji; Swains Island / Samoa; Tokelau; 'Eua / Tonga; Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago; Nui / Tuvalu niudamu - Fiji niu dina - Fiji nu - 'Atiu, Mangaia, Ma'uke / Cook Islands punu - Miti'aro / Cook Islands pu-nu - Rarotonga / Cook Islands tikovai - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (fully grown plant, but still without a trunk) tumu-nu - Rarotonga / Cook Islands parts of the plant: aka - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (roots) gaofe - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (leaflets; fully developed palm leaf) katakata - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (central midrib of the palm leaf) koitika - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (midrib of the leaflets) mote - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (young, undeveloped palm leaf) muko - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (edible vegetative bud) rauniu - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (leaflets; fully developed leaf) tumu - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (trunk) turei - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (lower, thickened part of trunk) flower: aveave - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (stalks which bear the flowers) fitiniu - Niue kumoa - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (flower bud) nimo - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (lower, closed part of the spatha) pua - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (particular flower) roherohe - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (spatha) tariga - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (stem of the inflorescence) fruit: gora - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (maximum sized, brown nut, flesh of maximum thickness, water sour) goregore - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (exocarp) herere - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (endocarp) kaipoa - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (nut with edible, sweet flesh) karava - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (oval nuts with long husk fibers) keiga - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (longitudinal ribs) kererau - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (cluster of nuts) kivako - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (maximum sized, brown nut without water or absorbing organ) koka - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (oily absorbing organ) komata - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (persistent sepals) komoto - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (full sized nut with dark spots, flesh thick, water bitter) kovari - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (prematurely fallen nuts) makire - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (abudant, small nuts in thick grape-like clusters) nohi - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago ('eyes' of the nut, the two smaller pores) nounou - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (absorbing organ) pekeremu - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (mesocarp) popoga - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (deteriorated flesh) puha - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (maximum sized nut, brown, with detached flesh) puriri - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (recently formed nut) pururoa - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (small nut with thick husk) rehi - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (almost full sized but still green nut) roeroe - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago ('belly' of the nut) takaveatika - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (stalkless nuts, directly attached to the stem) vaha - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago ('mouth' of the nut, the lerger pore) vai - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (coconut milk (fluid, water)) vavako - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (maximum sized, brown nut without water or absorbing organ) vavega - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (endosperm, white flesh) viavia - Raroia / Tuamotu Archipelago (full sized but still green nut, this slimy flesh, water slightly sweet)

For a long time it wasn't clearly known if coconut plams are native in Polynesia, imported by the first polynesian settlers or even brought to Polynesia by american native people, which - as it is known now - made visits to at least the Tubuai Islands. But recently found pollen from two of the Cook Islands, 'Atiu and Mangaia respectively, could be dated back to an age of about 5000 to 6000 years, so that Polynesia is now known to be part of the native range of the coconut palm.

above: Cocos nucifera Photo: by courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr (USGS)

left: Cocos nucifera Photo: Alexander Lang

left: Cocos nucifera Photo: Alexander Lang

References: - Bengt Danielsson: Raroian Culture. Atoll Research Bulletin Nr. 32, 1952 - M. Prebble; J. L. Dowe: The late Quaternary decline and extinction of palms on oceanic Pacific islands. Science Reviews 27: 2546-2567 (2008)