The coconut (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family, Arecaceae. Originally native to the Central Indo-Pacific, in the regions of Maritime Southeast Asia and Melanesia, coconuts are now found across the world due to human cultivation and dispersal. They are normally cultivated in hot and wet tropical climates. The term coconut also commonly refers to the seed and fruit of the coconut tree, which is botanically a drupe. The fruit has three layers including an edible white, fleshy endosperm and is filled with a liquid known as coconut water. The coconut thus played a critical role in the migration of Austronesian peoples across the Indian Ocean, as it provided a portable source of both food and water for long sea voyages. In modern times coconuts are used extensively in cooking and cuisine, using the raw flesh, the water or in alternative forms such as coconut milk and coconut butter. These coconuts, one whole and one halved, were grown in the Dominican Republic; this photograph was focus-stacked from 19 separate images.Photograph credit: Ivar Leidus
I grew up in Heber-Overgaard, Arizona. I moved to Phoenix, Arizona at age 10. Due to living with such an abundance of nature at my finger tips, today I am a fan of the outdoors and all of the creatures that share it. I have a fondness for the following categories...
Mogollon Monster - My first Wiki article of which I greatly enjoyed researching and writing. I personally want to thank Plazak and ChildofMidnight for helping to edit and shape it into a wiki friendly page :)
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