부산대학교 도서관

It has been clearly established that the Portuguese introduced coconuts to the Cape Verde islands in 1499, and these supplied the Atlantic coasts and the Caribbean in the 1500s. By contrast, early 16th century reports of coconuts on the Pacific coast of Panama are controversial. Recent DNA analysis of modern coconut populations there shows them to be similar to Philippine varieties, agreeing with morphometric analysis. Hence, coconuts must have been brought by boat from the western Pacific, but no archaeological, ethnobotanical or linguistic evidence for pre-Columbian coconuts has been found. Thus, the most parsimonious explanation is that coconuts were introduced to Panama after Spanish conquest, as supported by DNA analysis and historical records of Spanish voyages. New collections along the Pacific coast, from Mexico to Colombia, are increasing the sampling for genetic analysis, and further work in the Philippines is suggested to test probable origins. Unless new archaeological discoveries prove otherwise, the strong hypothesis of Philippine origin should direct future research on the sources of American Pacific coast coconuts. Keywords Cocos nucifera * Molecular genetics * History * Archaeology * Linguistics * Ethnobotany Los portugueses introdujeron el cocotero alas islas de Cabo Verde en 1499, y este se distribuyo alas costas del Atlantico y el Caribe. Sin embargo los registros del cocotero en siglo XVI en la costa del Pacifico de Panama son polemicos. Los analisis recientes de ADN de poblaciones modernas de coco muestran que son similares alas variedades Filipinas, lo que esta de acuerdo con los analisis morfo-metricos previos. Por lo tanto, el cocotero debe haber sido llevado en barco desde el Pacifico Occidental, pero no hay evidencias arqueologicas, etnobotanicas o linguisticas precolombinas. La explicacion mas parsimoniosa es que fue introducido despues de la conquista espanola. Esto es apoyado por los analisis de ADN y los registros historicos de los viajes espanoles con cocos. Nuevas colectas a lo largo de las costas del Pacifico desde Mexico hasta Colombia mejoraran el muestreo para el analisis genetico, y se sugieren nuevos trabajos en Filipinas para confirmar los origenes precisos. A menos de que nuevos restos arqueologicos se encuentren que demuestren lo contrario, esta hipotesis puede orientar nuevas investigaciones sobre los origenes del cocotero en la Costa del Pacifico americano. Palabras claves Cocos nucifera * Genetica molecular * Historia * Arqueologia * Linguistica * Etnobotanica
Introduction Coconut is the iconic palm of beaches throughout the tropics. It was a major plantation crop for much of the 19th and 20th centuries, and still provides an income [...]