Hello need some help in identifying this giant seed pod. I was told it was from Africa but not certain. Can not find a pic of it on Google images? as can been seen it is about 3 ft long any help in identification will be greatly appreciated. also am wondering about the toxicity of that brown powder. how careful should i be when cleaning up that seed? the small pic is of the seed inside of the pod. I did not clean it up and it has some brown colored dust covering the seed. under the dust it appears to be the color of chestnut.
If it were from anywhre else, I'd say you're looking at the pod from one of the many species of Inga (the ice-cream beans). However, since you've said it's African in origin, I'd be looking towards the Acacias instead. Any idea where in Africa? It's a huge and botanically diverse continent..... Also: in terms of the toxicity of the brown dust (which will be what's left of the seed's aril), it's probably not toxic but without a finer determination of species I can't say it's not halleucinogenic. Handle with gloves and try not to inhale it until we/you figure out which tree/liana the pod is likely to have come from. EDIT - check out Entada gigas. The size and shape of the pod is about right for those....
I cant be certain how accurate my info is on its origin, the guy I got it from said he was told it was from Africa? So it could be from another area. I will try a google image search on both of those names you gave and see if it looks like either of them or not. thanks for the reply
Just looked at the pics of an Inga and an Acacia pod I dont think it is either, The Inga seed is not the same shape as mine and the Acacia seed pod seems narrower than mine
Yes! It is the Entada Gigas, the pod is exactly right and the seed is right on also. Thank you so mush for the help. Now I will read all the info on it. Thanks again Lorax Bill
Friend wiki calls them "drift seed". They fall into the sea and drift for thousands of miles in the salt chuck before washing up on a beach somewhere, where they get picked up by the curious. A guy on a beach in Cuba gave us one, along with a drift seed that looks like a miniature hamburger: Mucuna urens as near as I can tell. Friend google says they grow scary fast if you can get them to germinate...
