The Evidence for Native Coconuts Growing in Australia
International Director, Regeneration International, Mossman, QLD P.O. Box 800, Australia
Int. J. Plant Biol. 2021, 12(1), 9025; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.4081/pb.2021.9025
Submission received: 18 November 2020
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Revised: 24 November 2020
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Accepted: 27 November 2020
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Published: 23 February 2021
Abstract
The coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is not considered to be a native species in Australia due to the belief that the early European sea captains and botanists did not find coconut trees. A search of their reports shows that they regularly found evidence of coconuts including green and fresh nuts. Mature coconut trees were found from 1848 onwards. The indigenous knowledge, linguistics and oral history about coconuts is evidence that they grew in Australia prior to European colonization in 1788. A fossil coconut and fossils of Cocos pollen are evidence that they may have been in Australia for millions of years.
Keywords:
Cocos nucifera L.; Indo-Pacific species; coconut management; niu kafa; niu vai
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MDPI and ACS Style
Leu, A. The Evidence for Native Coconuts Growing in Australia. Int. J. Plant Biol. 2021, 12, 9025. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.4081/pb.2021.9025
AMA Style
Leu A. The Evidence for Native Coconuts Growing in Australia. International Journal of Plant Biology. 2021; 12(1):9025. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.4081/pb.2021.9025
Chicago/Turabian StyleLeu, André. 2021. "The Evidence for Native Coconuts Growing in Australia" International Journal of Plant Biology 12, no. 1: 9025. https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.4081/pb.2021.9025
