Sea Bean

Entada gigas

''Entada gigas'', commonly known as the monkey-ladder, sea bean, cœur de la mer or sea heart, is a species of flowering liana in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is native to Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, and Africa.
Sea Bean (Seed) - Entada gigas **I have a fairly large collection of natural curiosities and decided to share some on JungleDragon. I have been collecting bits of nature for years and also have many friends who have shared things with me. Everything in my collection was ethically collected/harvested/sourced and is cruelty-free. Sea bean is a flowering vine in the pea family that is native to Central America, South America, and Africa. It has huge seedpods that measure 12 cm (4.7 in) across and 2 m (6.6 ft) in length! Inside the pods are 10-15 seeds (like the one in the photo). The seeds are very buoyant. They get washed into rivers and then the ocean, drifting long distances. They remain viable while floating along the ocean's currents for up to 2 years! Entada,Entada gigas,Fall,Geotagged,United States,cœur de la mer,monkey-ladder,sea bean,sea heart,seed

Appearance

It is notable for having the family's largest seedpods, which measure 12 cm across and can reach 2 m in length. Inside the pods are ten to fifteen seeds, each of which have a diameter of 6 cm and a thickness of 2 cm . The seeds contain a hollow cavity, which gives them buoyancy. After being washed by rain into rivers and then the ocean, the seeds of ''E. gigas'' drift long distances on ocean currents. Seed buoyancy and vitality lasts at least two years.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassEudicots
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusEntada
SpeciesE. gigas
Photographed in
United States of America