Coconut varieties in Mexico
1993
Zizumbo Villarreal, D. | Hernandez Roque, F. | Harries, H.C.
Cocos nucifera Linn, was introduced to Mexico by Spanish navigators in the middle of the 16th century, from Cape Verde and Santo Domingo to the Atlantic coast, and from the Solomon Islands and the Philippines to the Pacific coast. These populations remained isolated from one another for almost 500 years. Morphological studies on fruit characteristics show that coconuts from the two populations are contrastingforms. The Atlantic coast populations show a wild type fruit, with angular shape, thick husk, thick shell, thick endosperm and low water content. The Pacific populations have a domesticated type fruit, with fruit and nut more spherical, with a much thinner husk and shell, and higher water content. The higher variability observed in the Pacific coast raises the possibility of later introductions, also from the Philippines or other Pacific islands.
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