Monday, June 28, 2021

Monkey pots

Monkey pot is a common name for many tropical trees in the genus Lecythis of the family Lecythidaceae and the fruits produced by these trees, particularly Lecythis ollaria of Brazil and Lecythis zabucajo of northeastern South America. The nuts of most Lecythis species are edible. The name is said to derive from an old proverb, "a wise old monkey doesn't stick its hand into a pot", referring to the pot-like fruit that hold the seeds, and monkeys' eagerness to obtain the seeds. Supposedly young monkey's would stick their paw into an almost ripe fruit and would be unable to get it back out for their paws were filled with nuts, while old monkey's would learn it was better to be patient and pull out the nuts one by one. The fruit is coconut-sized, and roundish and woody, with a cap that pops off when it reaches maturity. Inside the fruit are anywhere from eight to 40 seeds, which eventually fall from the woody capsule after a period of time.

February 31, 1869

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