The unique character coconut (Cocos nucifera L, Arecaceae) from Bali, Indonesia.

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abstract

A research to explore the unique characters of coconuts that usually used as a specific Balinese ceremonies and/or traditional medicines has conducted,

Ihe results showed that there are more than 20 coconuts that have specific characteristics and named

as its characters.

Keryord: coconut, specitic choroder, Bolinese ceremony

lntroduction
Coconut (Cocos nucifero L.) is the most widely grown plantation crops in Bali Province, cultivated in the area of 72.836 hectares out
of 151.886 hectares of all crop plantations. The available coconut germ-plasma in Bali is categorized into three distinct varieties: typico
or tall type, nono or dwarf and ourontioco or hybrid type (The Government of Bali Province, 2010). Beside of its economic value, ln
Bali, coconut particularly that has unique or specific characteristic which called nyuh modan, parts of its tree such as leaves, fruits,
young flowers also used for ceremonial and medicinal purposes (Kriswiyanti, 2013). The community still has a difficulty to find the
coconuts which will be used for the ceremonies. This due to these coconut are very rare and there are not many people know its
charactersandavailability. Thisresearchaimstofindoutitsspecificcharactersof nyuh modon,thereforeitcanbeusedasinformation
to the community and for its sustainability.

Material and Method
The material used in this research was the coconut trees that have specific characters, therefore specifically named (nyuh modonl found
in Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan, Jembrana, Buleleng, Karangasdem, Klungkung, Gianyar and Bangli Regencies. The observations were

conducted by exploring and describing the characteristics of leaves, stems, inflorescences, fruits and seeds. The evidence of all
characters that are used for the identifications were stored in pictures.

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K e S U It 5

The results fiom exploring of 40 specifically named coconuts (nyth madan), which after identification
belongs to 22 specific (uni"que) coconuts. Some of the nyuh madan are presented on the pictures below.

Nyuh = coconut

Discussion

Acknowledgement
The research was funded by Director General of Higher
Education, Ministry of Education and Culture of Republic
Indonesia (Crant available for Doctorate Students) and

Udayana Universi6,, Bali Indonesia

All the coconuts described here were found in Bali, but it also recorded in other part of lndonesia
or in other area worldwide. The coconuts that were found in Bali were named specifically as its
unique (specific) characters and as they were used specifically for certain Balinese ceremonies and
medicines. The coconut with red/pink mesocarp and with brown outer fruit coat was called udong
coconut, but if the outer fruit coat was green called mulung. These types of coconuts were also
recorded from Menado (North Sulawesi Province). The coconuts with inflorescences sprcoto were
called bluluk, which also found in Halmahera (Maluku Province, lndonesia) lndia, Africa, Srilanka,
and Philippines (Maskromo, 2OOO; Novarianto, et.ol.,2OO5, Rajesh, et.ol.,2OO8l. The coconuts
with damaged endosperm was called srogsogon = kopyor, which also.documented in Lampung
(South Sumatra Province), Pati (Central Java Province), and Manado (Novarianto, et.ol.,2O05;
Maskromo,2011). The most unique coconut called Nyuh Sudomolo (Sudomolo coconut) found in
Bali and has never been published. The characteristics of this coconut such as it has double

spatha, hooked primordial leaves, reduced male spikelet formed as hand fan, branched
inflorescences, and with brown outer fruit coat.
Presented on: the 9trh lntenntional Flora Malesiana Symposium, 27-3 I Ag1/st6 201 3, Bogor, Indonesia.