Unusual seeds

[Anthony Darby]

Hi Guys

Here's a challenge: I'm looking for examples of seed dispersal for a school display. I used to bring out the "teacher demonstration model" when ever I needed an impact, e.g. a Goliath beetle with a 9" wingspan blu-tacked to my wall gets the response "where did you get the bat?" I also used to rear tadpoles in the classroom before it was taboo and then impress with the "teacher demonstration" American Bullfrog (Rana catesbiana) 5" job. Now their import is justifiably banned.

I'm looking for winged and hooked seeds that would "cripple a dinosaur" if they landed on their heads (no, not a coco de mer) or hooked into their skin. I have seen these at botanic gardens and know that some of the huge double-winged seeds belong to tropical trees from places like Borneo, and it's just possible that someone may have some from a foreign trip in a cupboard somewhere?

[Joakim B]

I saw something that might enoy if not kill a dino.
It was from a pine of some sort that produced half a meter to a meter of bard wire with torns like roses but only torns if You get what I meen. Atleast it might be a trouble if the dino stepped on it and got blood poison. I will see if I can get identify it better. It had hooks but maybe not so much wings.
Hope You will find something good.

Kind regards
Joakim

[Joakim B]

Here are two pics og the seedpod I saw.
It was not as razor sharp as I remmbered but the tipps of the pod i very pointy.

The shiny thing is a 1€(20mm) coin for size.

The first picture show a few a gathered and the later is a close up. The structure is similar to the "leaf" of a pine mixed with "normal leaf". But with a sharp end.
There were no name on the tree.
Kind regards
Joakim

[Diane Whitehead]

Take a look at the seeds that Kristl Walek has on her homepage:
http://gardensnorth.com/site/

There's a big shiny black one with two horns that might do the trick.
I have no idea what it is, but I'm sure Kristl would tell you.

Diane