Alien seedling

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AndyC
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Alien seedling

Post by AndyC »

Some months ago grub gave me a seed case full of seeds of some unidentified tropical fruit. First a picture of the seed case
seed case.jpg
I only got around to sowing the seed last week with not much expectation of success but I now have a pot full of very weird seedlings. Here is a picture of one removed from the pot
seedling 3.jpg
Can anyone tell me what it is at this early stage?
Andy
GARYnNAT

Re: Alien seedling

Post by GARYnNAT »

I would hazzard a guess at a plant Andy.... am i correct :D

Gary

(no idea really)
Guy

Re: Alien seedling

Post by Guy »

Looks remarkably like a runner bean to me Andy. Hope you didn't swap the family cow for it :lol: :lol: :lol:
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redsquirrel
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Re: Alien seedling

Post by redsquirrel »

deadly nightshade crossed with a spring onion
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
pete G

Re: Alien seedling

Post by pete G »

Brachychiton perhaps?
mixiepalms

Re: Alien seedling

Post by mixiepalms »

pete G wrote:Brachychiton perhaps?
Brachychiton rupestris??? think not, leaves are long and slim on a seedling.

Mixie
Troppoz

Re: Alien seedling

Post by Troppoz »

Well agreed the pod looks like a Brachychiton but the seedling is definately not. They have avery sturdy taproot as seedlings almost like a carrot.

The seedling does look a bit like a bean - sorry not much help are we... :roll:

Sean
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Dave Brown
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Re: Alien seedling

Post by Dave Brown »

I can't help much Andy, as not much to go on. Do you have a pic of the seed :?:
Best regards
Dave
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AndyC
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Re: Alien seedling

Post by AndyC »

Dave Brown wrote:I can't help much Andy, as not much to go on. Do you have a pic of the seed :?:
I don't Dave, but they are much the same shape and size as a bit of sweet corn and buff coloured.

I think you have all displayed an incredible amount of ignorance and unless you pull your socks up you will all be forced to convert to cottage gardening. I will post a picture of the seedling when it has grown larger and I expect the correct answer next time. :lol:
Andy
pete G

Re: Alien seedling

Post by pete G »

Andy, not really getting anwhere, but are all the seedlings like that one.

Its just that the seedleaves appear trapped inside the seed, have some of the others come away from the seed?
Just trying to get an idea of how the seed germinated.

I've seen seeds germinate in a similar way but usually they remain attached by just one thread not two.
Which makes me think they are actually leaves, (the cotyledons)
Troppoz

Re: Alien seedling

Post by Troppoz »

Just a thought...cocoa?
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AndyC
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Re: Alien seedling

Post by AndyC »

Pete, the leaves weren't trapped, just very small. Here is a close up of the leaves
seedling 2.jpg
Sean, I think you could have won the prize. I've just googled a few pictures of cocoa and the seeds and seed case do look right.
If you are right I'll be handing out the chocolates at the next meet :)
Andy
Troppoz

Re: Alien seedling

Post by Troppoz »

Andy dont go handing out those chocolates so quickly and I might have to hand back that prize.

The seedling looks nothing like cocoa... :?

The young leaves could be deceptive but cocoa does not have either lobed leaves or hair. Their leaves are very smooth and dark green and have a very bright pink colour when young. Nothing like that one Im afraid...

Actually I think we are back to Brachychiton now :lol: They certainly have lobed leaves not sure about the hair, most species I think not. Was the pod filled with fine hairs that were a bit irritating and a light fur on the seeds? You mentioned they looked like popcorn - thats a pretty accurate description of the seeds of Brachychiton too. I have germinated a few Brachychitons and they all had a very strong thick taproot not like that one at all, and definately not that hairy.

Also they way the seedling has pushed its way out of the seed isnt how I recall them germinating. In fact the only plant that I have seen do that is lotus. icon_scratch

So there you go youve got a lotus!

Can I have a chocolate anyway :?:
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AndyC
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Re: Alien seedling

Post by AndyC »

Troppoz wrote: Was the pod filled with fine hairs that were a bit irritating and a light fur on the seeds?
I should have mentioned to start with that the seed case has irritating hairs covering inside and outside. I can't remember if the seeds were also hairy.
Andy
Troppoz

Re: Alien seedling

Post by Troppoz »

I should have mentioned to start with that the seed case has irritating hairs covering inside and outside.
OK Andy then my money is Brachychiton, possibly diversifolia or acerifolious. Hopefully acerifolious the beautiful Illawarra Flame Tree - one of my favourites but does poorly here in Darwin and flowers sporadically.

In southern areas the tree lives up to its name when it looses every leaf mid-spring and becomes covered in flaming red flowers. Spectacular and cold hardy to the degree where I have seen good specimens in Tasmania and I think someone on here mentioned they knew of some growing in southern England.

Good luck!
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