Note: In this article E. Charles Nelson reviews occurrences of tropical drift seeds along the coastlines of northeast USA and Atlantic Canada. He explains how by serendipity he has been able to report a range extension of two such seeds “northwards by more than two degrees latitude to the shore of Sable Island”. The seeds found on Sable are coconut Cocos nucifera, and Entada gigas (a legume). The seed of the latter, found by Zoe in May 2005, is called a “sea heart” and is 5.5 cm across and 2 cm thick.

 

Charles Nelson is the author of an identification handbook of exotic seeds and fruits stranded on beaches in north-western Europe: Sea Beans and Nickar Nuts, BSBI Handbook No 10. The book, first published in 2000, was reprinted in 2003. Published by the Royal Society of the British Isles, c/o Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. (ISBN 0-901158-29-1)