The coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Arecaceae family also known as the palm family. According to UCC Biology Department, “The spelling cocoanut is an archaic form of the word. The term is derived from 16th-century Portuguese and Spanish coco, meaning "head" or "skull". Coconut can be dated back to the story of Sinbad the Sailor, One Thousand and One Nights. He is known to have bought and sold coconuts during his fifth voyage. Its Malayalam name, Tenga, was used in the complete description of coconut found in Itinerario by Ludovico di Varthema published in 1510. Even earlier, it was called nux indica, a name used by Marco Polo in 1280. The origin of the coconut plant is to be discussed because no one really knows. O.F. Cook was one of the first modern researchers to draw conclusions about the location of the origin of Cocos nucifera based on its current-day worldwide supply. He predicted the coconut originated in the Americas, based on the fact that American coconut populations dominated the European connection. The oldest fossils known of the modern coconut dating from the Eocene period from around 37 to 55 million years ago were found in Australia and India. According to author VanZile, J (2014), “Cocos nuciferas are large palms that can grow up to 30 m (98 ft.) tall, with pinnate leaves 4–6 m (13–20 ft.) long, and pinnae 60–90 cm long; old leaves break away cleanly, leaving the trunk smooth.” Coconuts are categorized into two general types: tall and dwarf. On very fertile land, a tall coconut palm tree can produce up to 75 fruits per year, but more often produces less than 30, mainly due to poor cultural practices. Current day improvements in cultivation practices and breeds have produced coconut trees that can produce more. The coconut fruit is a drupe, not a nut. Like other fruits, it has three layers: the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.