HOW HARD ARE ENTEROLOBIUM CYCLOCARPUM (LEGUMINOSAE) SEEDS?

Abstract

A weight-loading machine was used to measure the force required to break mature seeds of Enterolobium cyc!ocarpum. The force required to break the seeds increases with increased weight of the seed, and seeds on the flat side require more weight to break than on edge. Peccaries eat the fruits of E. cyc!ocarpum; they crush some seeds and spit out others. This variation in seed weights, and therefore force necessary to break them, is important if the peccaries are to be seed dispersal agents as well as seed predators.