The plants found on Tabuaeran are typical of those throughout the islands of Kiribati: a variety of shrubs, coconut palms and bwabwai (swamp taro), the major staple in the diet of residents. Copra, the meat of the coconut, forms an important industry in Tabuaeran and is the only significant export of Kiribati generally. Most of the meat of coconut palms is processed and eventually becomes coconut oil.
