This is an interesting semi-pyriform Sorbus domestica variety from one of Lurther Burbank’s seedlings growing at Burbank’s former experimental farm in Sebastopol, CA. The second photo on the top row compares this still green semi-pyriform variety with a more typical fruit form, almost ripe.
I found this unusual species of Oak the other day falling from a neighborhood tree.
The closest similar oak species I can find is Quercus macrocarpa, the Burr oak or Mossy cup oak. However Q. macrocarpa has a more hairy cup with clearly visible hairs along the cup margin. In contrast the cup of this acorn was extremely thick, hard and woody, almost like scales.
One possibility is that this is a hybrid of Q. macrocarpa and some other oak species and that this acorn is an one of many phenotypic expressions.
Quercus macrocarpa is one of the largest seeded oak species in the world and the largest in N. America. The largest is the neotropical Quercus insignia. The seed is notable for its massive size and considerably low tannin content when compared to other acorns.
Any thoughts on positive ID welcomed in Comments.
Araucaria anguvstifolia, another member of the pan-global Araucariaceae family, many of which have edible seeds and multiple other ethnobotanical uses.
Native to It is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. A. araucana is the national tree of Chile. Its conservation status was changed to Endangered by the IUCN in 2013 due to the dwindling population caused by logging, forest fires, and grazing.
The large seeds, or pinions, are edible can be consumed, prepared in a wide variety of ways. The tree, however, does not yield seeds until it is around 30 to 40 years old, which discourages investment in planting orchards (although yields at maturity can be immense); once established, it can live possibly as long as 1,000 years.
Here are some interesting old plum varieties found on a semi-abandoned orchard in Lake County, California along with a wide variety of other fruit and nut trees.
I came across this solitary Jubaea chilensis planted in a town near where I live. In the autumn it produces massive quantities of seed. The Jubaea chilensis palm has one of the most monumental trunks of any plant in this family. The thickest well - documented trunk was 66 inches in diameter. Of the more than 2,600 known species of palms. J. chilensis is the second most massive, exceeded only by the floodplain or river bottom variety of Borassus aethiopium. The round seeds resemble miniature coconuts, with an edible coco meat and liquid in the center.
I am currently trying to germinate 150 seeds collected 9 months ago.
