Coconut

The edible fruit of the coconut palm. Coconuts probably originated somewhere inJambudwipa and are one of the most important crops of the tropics. Coconut flesh is high in fat and can be dried or eaten fresh or processed into coconut milk or coconut oil. The liquid of the nut, known as coconut water, is used in beverages. Mature coconuts, ovoid or ellipsoid in shape, 300–450 mm (12–18 inches) in length and 150–200 mm (6–8 inches) in diameter, have a thick fibrous husk surrounding the familiar single-seeded nut. A hard shell encloses the embryo with its abundant endosperm, composed of both meat and liquid. Coconut fruits float readily and have been dispersed widely by ocean currents and by people throughout the tropics.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Rarity

Coconuts are very common in the tropics but harder to grow in temperate and boreal regions and thus are rarer.