Does anyone recognize this seed pod?

last year

It was in a jar of lightly salted peanuts from a local Meijer grocery store.

It is very hard (I'm surprized I didn't break a tooth) and the larger opening on one side looks like maybe something emerged from inside. There is an indentation on the other side but light does not does not seem to pass through.

It has a burnt or roasted odor that is quite strong and I am guessing it may have been a lighter color and soft and then passed through the roasting with the peanuts making it hard and dark.

There looks to be 4 small nut-like seeds inside, dark skinned but lite colored inside, like a tiny brazil nut.

It's about 10 mm (3/8 inch) in diameter.

Featured Answer

carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10

12 months ago

last modified: 12 months ago

Looks very much like a dried out/mummified Barbados (acerola) cherry...?

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Comments (8)

westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
12 months ago
Our Michigan extension service couldn't ID it so hoping someone has a clue or suggestion :-(
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westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
12 months ago
Looks like a very good candidate judging by shape but maybe a little too large, even if dried out, they look to be at least 1 inch?. But some kind of cherry-like fruit sure looks promising. Thanks for the feedback!
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
12 months ago
A true cherry (Prunus sp.) would have a single pit. Your fruit appears to have several seeds more like a pome or berry.
westmichiganflorafau thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
Jay 6a Chicago
12 months ago
Xanthium strumarium? It's among the most common seeds found in jars of processed peanuts?
westmichiganflorafau thanked Jay 6a Chicago
westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
12 months ago
Xanthium strumarium looks the wrong shape both externally (fruit) and internally (seeds), at least in the photo I found at https://plantwiseplusknowledgebank.org/doi/full/10.1079/pwkb.species.56864. However, your comment does lend something to my theory that this is some kind of seed pod that got inadvertently mixed in during harvest, got roasted, deforming/distorting its appearance.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
11 months ago
FWIW, Barbados cherries grow in different sizes - the healthiest fruits are big, but there can be small ones only 1/2 inch or smaller as well.

And the seeds are multiple,not single.
westmichiganflorafau thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
westmichiganflorafau
Original Author
11 months ago
Makes sense. If it was growing as a "weed" with the peanuts then it likely wouldn't be too "healthy".