 Unlike most islands in the Indonesian archipelago, the name "Flores" was given by the Portuguese, from "Cabo de Flores" (Cape of Flowers), the Portuguese term for the eastern part of the island.This part of the island, originally called Kopondai, was so named by the Portuguese because of the flowering "Delonix regia" trees found there.The original name of Flores was "Nipa", referring to the serpent.