322 



KiRKWooD AND GiES : Chemical Studies 



I. 



Introduction 



" Of the whole class of 



seeds having the character 



of luxuries rather than of 



necessaries, the cocoanut is 



by far the most important to. 



mankind, whether considered 



as a delicious and nutritious 



food or as supplying valuable oil and 



many other articles useful in social 



life." * 



The common cocoanut is derived 

 from Cocos nucifera, a species of palm 

 growing in practically all tropical coasts 

 and islands. The cocoa palm grows 

 naturally on the seashore or in its im- 

 mediate vicinity and does not bear well 

 when at a great distance from salt 

 water. (See analyses, p. 335.) At 

 maturity it has a cylindrical stem about 

 2 feet in diameter. At its apex the 

 tree carries a tuft of leaves, which are 

 about 12 feet long. These have num- 

 erous narrow, rigid and long leaflets. 

 The leaf, which may attain to 20 feet in 

 length, consists of a strong mid-rib, 

 whence numerous long acute leaflets 

 spring, giving the whole the appearance 

 of a gigantic feather. The flowers which 

 produce the nut are yellowish-white. 

 They are arranged in spikes, branching 

 from a central axis, and inclosed with 

 a tough spathe usually a meter or more 



Fig. 1. Inflorescence of the cocoanut showing 

 spathe inclosing the spikes, each with numerous 

 male flowers above and a single female flower near 

 the base. X i- Winton. 



* Smith : Food, 226. 1873. 



