<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Binomial name </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Cocos nucifera L . </Td> </Tr> <P> The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus Cocos . The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which botanically is a drupe, not a nut . The term is derived from the 16th - century Portuguese and Spanish word coco meaning "head" or "skull" after the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features . </P> <P> Coconuts are known for their versatility of uses, ranging from food to cosmetics . The inner flesh of the mature seed forms a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics and subtropics . Coconuts are distinct from other fruits because their endosperm contains a large quantity of clear liquid, called "coconut milk" in the literature, and when immature, may be harvested for their potable "coconut water", also called "coconut juice". </P>

What kind of tree does a coconut grow on