Thousands of unique drift disseminules from the Amazon and Orinoco deltasĪnd across the Atlantic from river deltas of tropical west Africa. Peninsula lie directly in the path of the Equatorial Current, bringing They are especiallyĪbundant along wave-swept beaches following the hurricane season, and mayīe carried inland by tidal waters. Probably have the greatest variety of drift seeds. T he tropical islands of Indonesia, Polynesia and the Caribbean Drift seeds carried by the Gulf Stream from the Caribbean to beaches of northern Europe may find themselves in another precarious situation-aliens in a hostile climate much too cold for them to survive. They may perish in the parched sand without adequate moisture or be quickly devoured by ravenous land crabs. Sea dispersal is a hit-or-miss method after a long, perilous journey, other dangers await the vulnerable seedlings. During their long voyages they often cross entire oceans, perhaps colonizing the shores of a coral atoll or isolated volcanic island. Other drift seeds have thick woody seed coats and internal air cavities which produce their buoyancy. In some drift fruits, such as the coconut, the seed embryo and fleshy white "meat" (endosperm) is enclosed within a hard, bony layer (endocarp) surrounded by a thick fibrous husk. They are very buoyant, with thick protective shells which are impervious to salt water. Tropical drift seeds and fruits are especially remarkable because they can survive months or even years at sea. They are produced and packaged in botanical structures called fruits, and come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. S eeds provide the vital genetic link and primary dispersal agent between successive generations of plants. Sea Heart ( Entada gigas), Tropical America to Mexico and Europe. Sea Bean ( Mucuna sloanei), Tropical America to Galapagos Islands.ħ. Mary's Bean ( Merremia discoidesperma), Central America to Florida.Ħ. Box Fruit (Barringtonia asiatica), Islands of Micronesia to Tahiti.ĥ.
Nickernut ( Caesalpinia bonduc), Tropical America to Canton Island.Ĥ. Coconut ( Cocos nucifera), Melanesia to Eastern Australia.ģ. Tamanu ( Calophyllum inophyllum), Indonesia to the Philippines.Ģ. The following map shows the path of some drift seeds and fruits in the world's oceans:ġ. This is precisely what happens to countless thousands of tropical drift seeds and fruits, a remarkable flotilla of flowering plants that travel the oceans of the world. Perhaps eventually you may drift ashore on the coral sand beaches of a remote tropical island or distant continent. I magine yourself floating helplessly on the open sea, thousands of miles from land, your destination at the mercy of the wind and currents. For more information please refer to the Sea Bean Web Site
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