Research Notes

THE BROWN DWARF: A RECENT ADDITION TO THE VARIETIES AND FORMS OF THE COCONUT PALM GROWN IN SRI LANKA

Authors:

Abstract

The endemic coconut germplasm of Sri Lanka have been; categorized into three
main varieties Viz. typica. nana and aurantiaca by Liyanage (1958) based on their
morphological characters and breeding behavior.
The variety nana or the dwarf, also known as Kundira to the local farmer,
included three colour forms viz. form red (Regia), form yellow (Eburnea) and form
green (Pumilla). Except for these three colour forms no other intermediate forms
had been reported.
Under the germplasm collection and conservation programme of the Coconut
Research Institute of Sri Lanka, a single palm of a brown coloured dwarf was
initially identified in a home garden near Madampe in the Puttalam district (Peries,
1991). Later a few palms showing similar morphological characters and breeding
behavior were located in Kirimetiyana, Marawila and Mawathagama within the
coconut triangle, with most cases as a single tree in a home garden.
The original palms were initially inspected for their breeding behavior, by
observing the male and female phases of the inflorescence, and other common
morphological characters such as stature, stem girth, presence of absence of the bole,
length and width of fronds and leaflets, nut components, inflorescence and the
germination speed.
  • Year: 1997
  • Volume: 12
  • Page/Article: 82-84
  • DOI: 10.4038/cocos.v12i0.2169
  • Published on 11 Aug 2010
  • Peer Reviewed