List of world's largest seeds

Lodoicea maldivica, native to the Seychelles Archipelago, found in the Indian Ocean.

The largest seed in the world is the coco de mer,[1][2] the seed of a palm tree.[3] It can reach about 12 inches (30 cm) long, and weigh up to 40 pounds (18 kg). The coco de mer, a giant, dark brown seed,[4] has been protected as natural world heritage site because of its rarity. The coco de mer tree can grow up to 100 feet (31 m) tall, with leaves measuring 20 ft (6 m) long and 12 feet (3.6 m) wide.

The list

Other recorded largest seeds include:[5]

Seed image Species Family Length in inches Length in cm weight
Coco de mer Lodoicea maldivica The Palm Family Arecaceae or Palmae 12 in 30 cm 18 kg (40 lbs).
Coconut Cocos nucifera The Palm Family Arecaceae or Palmae. 6 inches 15 cm
Mora[6] Mora oleifera or M. megistosperma The Senna Family Caesalpinaceae 7 in by 6 in by 3 in 18 cm by 15 cm by 8 cm. 2.2 lbs. (1000 grams)[7]
Caroline Ivory Palm Metroxylon amicarum The Palm Family Arecaceae or Palmae circa 4.5 inch diam (round) circa 11 cm 1 lb. 4 oz (560 grams).[8]
Tea Mangrove. [9] Pelliciera rhizophorae The Tea, or Camellia Family Theaceae 4 in diam. (round). 10 cm diam. 7 oz (200 grams).
Bornean Ironwood, or Belian var. "Tanduk" Eusideroxylon zwageri variety exilis The Laurel Family (Lauraceae) 6.3 in long by 2 in diam. 160 mm long by 5 cm diam.[10]
Pohon Kira-kira Xylocarpus granatum The Mahogany Family (Meliaceae). Tetrahedral seeds four inches on a side. Tetrahedral seeds 10 cm on a side. [11]
Idiot Fruit Idiospermum australiense The Spicebush Family Calycanthaceae 3.1 in 8 cm[12]
Avocado Persea americana The Laurel Family Lauraceae 3 in 7.6 cm
California Buckeye Aesculus californica The Horse Chestnut Family Hippocastanaceae 2.88 in width, 2.63 in breadth and 2.13 in height.[13] 7.32 cm width, 6.68 cm breadth and 5.41 cm height 5 oz (140 grams)
Mango Mangifera indica The Sumac Family Anacardiaceae
Peach Prunus persica The Rose Family Rosaceae 2 in 3 cm

See also

References

  1. ↑ Quest The World's Largest Seed A KQED Multimedia Series Exploring Northern California Science, Environment and Nature.
  2. ↑ BGCI plants for the planet Our work Coco de Mer Investigate Coco de Mer on the BGCI Plant Search Database
  3. ↑ Fruit trivia Coco de mer - Q
  4. ↑ Britannica E. Coco de mer Double coconut
  5. ↑ Jenifer Corr Morse (1 November 2011). Scholastic Book of World Records 2012. Scholastic Inc. pp. 202–. ISBN 978-0-545-33149-4. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  6. ↑ Elbert L. Little and Robert G. Dixon, "Arboles Communes de la Provincia de Esmereldas" (Rome: UNFAO, 1969) p. 222
  7. ↑ Daniel H. Jenzen, "Costa Rican Natural History", (Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press, 1983) p. 281.
  8. ↑ James C. McCurrach, "Palms of the World" (Stuart, Fla.: Horticultural Books, Inc., 1980 reprint - orig 1960) p. 139.
  9. ↑ http://www.mangrove.at/mangrove/english/species/pelliciera_rhizophorae.php
  10. ↑ Yukitoshi Kimoto et al, "Embryology of Eusideroxylon...etc",BOTANICAL JOURNAL of the LINNEAN SOCIETY Vol. 150 # 2 (February 2006) p. 190.
  11. ↑ Margaret Percival and John S. Womersley, "Floristics and Ecology of Mangrove Vegetation in Papua New Guinea", BOTANICAL BULLETIN # 8 (Lae: Dept. of Forests, 1975) p. 90.
  12. ↑ Franks, P. J. and P. L. Drake (2003). "Desiccation-induced loss of seed viability is associated with a 10-fold increase in CO(2) evolution in seeds of the rare tropical rainforest tree Idiospermum australiense." New Phytologist 159(1): 253-261.
  13. ↑ Personal observations and measurements made in Riverside, California on November 27, 2015. This is the largest of all temperate (non-tropical) seeds.

External links

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