The pods are about 4-5 inches long found in woodland in Pinar del Rey, southern spain. Image attached to this post, or view it in various resolutions (click "ALL SIZES" button) at http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresv/290458848/ If and when it's identified I'll add the information to the photo's caption - so people searching the web can find it. Alternatively, if you're familiar with Flickr you can follow the link above and add comments and tags yourself. Probably something quite common but a friend suggested I improve myself and learn what they are. It's quite strange walking around the area on a wet November afternoon, with mixed woodland (mainly pine) broken up by the occasional (ripe) orange grove.
Thanks Smivies...all in a few hours, now that's service! I've updated the labels on the image and have added a credit to you for making the ID: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresv/290458848/
That's no carob. It looks a lot like one of the cat-claw Acacias, but I don't see any of the hooked prickles that one of those would have.
Hi David - thanks for taking the time to make your post. Even though as you say there don't appear to be hooked prickles in evidence I've appended your comments to http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresv/290458848/ and while the debate continues in this forum I'll check to see if there are folks on Flickr who might have a defintive answer.
Another update: "lokenrc" in one of the forums at Flickr contends that the plant is a Tamarind. Moer details at http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresv/290458848/
Since the Flickr experts have weighed in to contradict David in LA and smivies I went to the the forums at metafilter (http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/50510) they seem to be voting Tamarind. I realise it's dificult to make an ID from a photo but after not being all that bothered about what this plant is I've seen the effort that people have gone to (almost 200 people have checked it out so far) so I feel I owe it to people to find out for sure. If I can't get something definitive online (so far we have the botanical minds of this forum, flickr and metafilter involved) I'll do as one person suggested and go back to the spot, get a sample and mail it off to Kew Gardens for an ID. In the meantime, if you think you have an answer, even a partial one, please feel free to add it to the mix. Preferably as a comment on http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresv/290458848/ so that everyone can see it.
Anyone done a check for what trees it was found in the vicinity of? It could certainly narrow the possibilities, providing the pods weren't dropped by a bird.
