184 PHILIPPINE PALMS 
The buds (tbud). of all the species are edible. The outer 
part of the trunk of most of them is split and made into very 
durable slat flooring. 
Genus COCOS Linnaeus 
With the exception of the recently introduced Cocos plumosa 
Hook., that is now cultivated to some extent for ornamental 
purposes in Manila, this genus is represented in the Philippines 
by a single species, the common coconut palm. 
COCOS NUCIFERA L. (Plates I, XVIII-XXIII). COCONUT PALM. 
Local names: Coco or cocotero (Spanish); giragara (Zamboanga) ; lobi 
or lubi (Pampanga, Bisaya); niog or ning (Ibanak, Iloko, Pampanga, Ta- 
galog, Bikol, Bisaya); ngotigot (Zambales); onvgot (Cagayan); punlaing 
(Basilan). 
This palm is the most abundant, most universally distributed. 
and from an economic standpoint by far the most valuable in 
the Philippines, and for that matter the most important of the 
commercial palms of the entire world. It is cultivated in most 
parts of the Philippines; and, where favorable conditions are 
found, thrives equally well on the seashore and inland up to 
altitudes of about 700 meters, and in some regions up to 1,500 
meters. The palm can not successfully withstand a long dry 
season, such as is found in the region about Manila Bay, Luzon, 
but thrives best in those regions where the rainfall is more or 
less distributed throughout the entire year, especially on slopes 
where moving ground water is constantly available. In the 
Archipelago larger areas are devoted to its cultivation than 
in any other similar part of the world. 
Cocos nucifera is not a native of the Archipelago, but was 
apparently introduced during the prehistoric period. It is never 
found wild in the Philippines. 
The coconut palm has a multitude of uses, in number and 
importance probably not exceeded by any other palm. It yields 
timber; food; fermented and unfermented drinks; alcohol; 
vinegar ; thatching material; splints; strips and fiber for making 
baskets, mats, rope, hats, brushes, brooms, etc.; fuel; caulking 
material; utensils for household use, such as cups, bowls, spoons, 
etc.; oil for food, cooking, illumination, for making soap, sub- 
stitutes for butter and lard, ointments; and oil cake for 
feeding domestic animals and for fertilizer. The bud makes 
an excellent salad. The palm is very ornamental and is fre- 
quently planted for decorative effect. The fresh leaves are 
extensively used for temporary decorations, and large numbers 
