Coconut

            Palmae

            Coconut Palm

            Ba pao, ma pao (Northern), phrao (Southern), mak phrao, mak un, dung (Chanthaburi), het dung (Pethcabun), kho sa (Karen-Mae Hong Song), phon (Karen-Kanchanaburi), yo (Malay) (Kanchana Diwiset, et al., comp., 1999, p. 201)

            Tree, 20-30 m. high. Leaves in a terminal crown, pinnate; leaflets lineaer-landeolate, green, leathery, 2-3 ft. long, 1-2.5 in. wide. Infloreacence paniculate, axillary, male flowers above the females, 6 petals. Drupe round or oval with leathery epicarp, broad fibrous mesocarp and stony endocarp which contains a single large albuminous seed, a fluid and a white fleshy endosperm. (Kanchana Diwiset, et al., comp., 1999, p. 201)

            00 gm. gives 55 kilocalories of energy, protein 1.6 gm., fat 2.0 gm., carbohydrates 7.7 gm., calcium 13 mg., phosphorus 173 mg., iron 1.0 mg., Vitamin A 25 IU, Vitamin B1 0.06 mg., Vitamin B2 0.04 mg., niacin 1.3 mg. and Vitamin C 4 mg. (Priya Trairatnarong, 2004, p. 103). The core from the top of the stem is included in soup or fried. The young fruit contains a sweet fluid which makes a delicious drink and the meat is grilled to make ho mok maphrao. The young inflorescence produces a sweet fluid that is made into sugar, liquor starter and vinegar. Oil extracted from the dried meat is a butter substitute. Coconut milk is used in curry and desserts (Kanchana Diwiset, et al., comp., 1999, p. 201). Lanna people use its tender shoots to make kaeng ok pao.

The bark is burned to obtain the ashes used to reduce toothache and itchy skin. Coconut oil from grated mature coconut meat boosts stamina, is a diuretic, expels worms and reduces fever. Coconut juice is a good laxative, diuretic anti-toxicant, anti-diarrhea, thirst quencher, and relieves gallstones, stops vomiting blood. Coconut oil is put on a wound or burn caused by hot water and is also a tonic. (Kanchana Diwiset, et al., comp., 1999, p. 201)

            All year round

            

Kanchana Diwiset et al., comp. (1999). Phak Phuen Ban Phak Klang. Kanchana Diwiser, ed. Nonthaburi: Project for Text Development, Institute of Traditional Thai Medicine. (in thai).

Priya Trairatnarong. (2004). Khamphi Phaet Samunphrai, Phonlamai, Samunphrai Lae Phuet Phak Suan Khrua. Bangkok: One World. (in thai).