Called Drift Seeds or
Sea Beans, the Entada Gigas is among a select group
of rainforest seeds that travel the globe. Popular
among collectors, Drift seeds often have interesting
shapes and romantic names like The Sea Purse, Sea
Pearl, Mary's Bean, Hamburger Bean, Horse Eye, Nickernut,
Coco de Mer and of course; our own fabled brown
beauty the Entada Gigas or more notoriously known
as… THE SEA HEART.
SEA HEARTS are also called cocoons or lucky seeds,
and are believed to bring protection and guidance.
Hamburger Beans (Mucuna) or Horse Eye are also called
Burning Beans because they can inflict a nasty burn
when rubbed briskly on a cloth and quickly touched
to the skin. Most Drift Seed species are plentiful
at their source, but they tend to be difficult to
find whether in the jungle, at sea or wherever they
may wash ashore.
The largest and most rare of all Drift Seeds is
the Coco de Mer (Sea Coconut) of The Seychelles.
Often said to have medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities,
the seed is about 1 foot long with a 30-inch circumference.
Throughout history the seeds have enjoyed a colorful
folklore due to their appearance that looks like
a particular part of a women's body. Still considered
rare and valuable today, the Coco de Mer routinely
sells on E-bay for $500 each!
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