By Dr Roland Bourdeix, click on the picture to enlarge...
The international Coconut Genebank for Africa and Indian Ocean is located in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. In some varieties introduced fom Papua New Guinea, was observed some coconut with very large mouth (germinating pore) , as pictured. It seems to be a regular characteristics of some of the palms of these populations.
We do not know - and even cannot imagine at this stage - the natural selection pressure which could lead to the apparition of such a strange phenotype. Logically, it seems that the "mouth" is less protected so the fruit may be more fragile and more easily attacked by pest and diseases... Nature is keeping its mystery.
The international Coconut Genebank for Africa and Indian Ocean is located in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. In some varieties introduced fom Papua New Guinea, was observed some coconut with very large mouth (germinating pore) , as pictured. It seems to be a regular characteristics of some of the palms of these populations.
We do not know - and even cannot imagine at this stage - the natural selection pressure which could lead to the apparition of such a strange phenotype. Logically, it seems that the "mouth" is less protected so the fruit may be more fragile and more easily attacked by pest and diseases... Nature is keeping its mystery.
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| Click to enlarge |
