A large palm, Cocos nucifera (in the family Areacaceae), widely grown throughout the tropics and valuable for its fruit and fiber. Usually found near the seacoast, it requires high humidity, abundant rainfall (60 in. or 1.5 m), and mean annual temperature of about 85°F (31°C). Southern Florida, with mean temperature of 77°F (25°C), is at the limit of successful growth. The origin of the coconut has been in dispute, but strong evidence points to southern Asia with wide dispersal by ocean currents and human migrations.