What's are these weird-ass things?
January 4, 2006 6:10 AM Subscribe
FloridaBotanyFilter: What the heck is this? (.jpg, 1943.25 KB)
I often see strange plants when I'm walking along my favorite nature trails, and I usually just take a picture and forget about it, but this is just so weird-looking I had to try and find out what it is.
Location: Southwest Florida.
Time of year: Just this week.
Surrounding flora: Palm trees and saw palmetto plants, mostly.
It seemed like whatever they are, they were growing up out of the ground rather than fallen from a tree. When I reached down to try and move some grass out of the way to get a picture, the bottommost thing just crumbled into kernels at the lightest touch, so whatever they are, they're fragile. Oh, and each one of these things was about the size of a very large pinecone. The red kernels are about the size of large lima beans.
I've tried searching, but I just don't know what I'm looking for. Googling for anything involving "kernels" tends to bring up results for corn and wheat.
I often see strange plants when I'm walking along my favorite nature trails, and I usually just take a picture and forget about it, but this is just so weird-looking I had to try and find out what it is.
Location: Southwest Florida.
Time of year: Just this week.
Surrounding flora: Palm trees and saw palmetto plants, mostly.
It seemed like whatever they are, they were growing up out of the ground rather than fallen from a tree. When I reached down to try and move some grass out of the way to get a picture, the bottommost thing just crumbled into kernels at the lightest touch, so whatever they are, they're fragile. Oh, and each one of these things was about the size of a very large pinecone. The red kernels are about the size of large lima beans.
I've tried searching, but I just don't know what I'm looking for. Googling for anything involving "kernels" tends to bring up results for corn and wheat.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request. -- jessamyn
its similar to the cardboard palm.
cardboard palm = Zamia furfuracea
Coontie = Zamia floridana
See here [link]
At least the name suggests that it's found in florida
posted by merv at 6:47 AM on January 4, 2006
cardboard palm = Zamia furfuracea
Coontie = Zamia floridana
See here [link]
At least the name suggests that it's found in florida
posted by merv at 6:47 AM on January 4, 2006
Best answer: and here too
[link]
matches the seeds in your pic
posted by merv at 6:49 AM on January 4, 2006
[link]
matches the seeds in your pic
posted by merv at 6:49 AM on January 4, 2006
Response by poster: Yeah, it's coontie. I was just looking at the cardboard palm link and saw that it was similar but not quite right, so I started searching for cycad information. Judging by the picture towards the bottom of this page, the ones I saw were "female." Coontie plants are very common around here -- I often see signs posted next to the plants in nature parks, but all they say is basically "This is a coontie." Never knew they had cones.
Thanks!
posted by Gator at 6:59 AM on January 4, 2006
Thanks!
posted by Gator at 6:59 AM on January 4, 2006
is that pronounced "coon-tie" or "coon tea" ?
posted by vanoakenfold at 10:32 AM on January 4, 2006
posted by vanoakenfold at 10:32 AM on January 4, 2006
Response by poster: "Coon-tee"!
Confession: The first time I saw one of those "This is a coontie" signs, I snickered like an eleven-year-old.
posted by Gator at 10:41 AM on January 4, 2006
Confession: The first time I saw one of those "This is a coontie" signs, I snickered like an eleven-year-old.
posted by Gator at 10:41 AM on January 4, 2006
Now that this question has been answered, I can no longer hide my childlike amusement at the concept of a coconut with strawberries inside. Together at last!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:26 AM on January 4, 2006
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:26 AM on January 4, 2006
Response by poster: You might have enjoyed the Incredible Edibles series of jigsaw puzzles, gnfti. :)
posted by Gator at 11:40 AM on January 4, 2006
posted by Gator at 11:40 AM on January 4, 2006
Ha. Excellent!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:43 AM on January 4, 2006
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:43 AM on January 4, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:31 AM on January 4, 2006