What exactly is the seed? Seeds are reproductive cells of a plant that has not developed into an adult plant. A seed is a microscopic embryo enclosed in a tough protective covering. The development of a seed is just part of this process of reproduction in seedlings, the gymnosperm plants, such as the potato and the tomato. Seeds are surrounded by a hardy inner core, which serves as a protection for the germinating seed. Seeds can be either male or female and belong to one of two classes: hominispecific or feminine.
Sativa is the most common and well-known species of weed in California. The genus Cappuccus is the source of the species Calendula. This family of plants is commonly called the “wild daffodil tree” due to the single-seeded fruit of a common daffodil plant, the “daffodil blossom”. The common name comes from the flower’s singular flower head which resembles a daffodil. A wild Daffodil blossom may bloom for a year before it drops its seed.
In comparison to other species of weeds, Cappuccus species have very few seeds. It takes only one female reproductive cell to flower and then the entire cycle starts again. Some of the more popular Cappuccus species are the true blueberry cactus, false cactus plant, Mexican false cactus plant, Solanaceae family, Solanaceae seeds, the pomelo cactus, and the peanut family cormorantaceae fruits. The seed inside the fruit may also be released as the fruit matures. Many types of nuts and berries can be extracted from the seeds of this plant.
Indiola ribes (ripe ryegrass) seed produces an oily liquid that is used in Southern Chinese cooking and made into a drink. In the Philippines the sweet rind-like seeds are dried, ground up and mixed with coconut milk and cooked with sugar or honey. This preparation is known as kuih and it’s favorite drink is a popular remedy for menstrual cramps. Wild manjik vine (Ceanothus pulcherrima) is known for its bitter taste, so drinking it is considered very bad luck. The bitter taste of this vine can be mitigated by adding lemon or lime juice to it.
Seeds of some genera are so rare that it is considered a rare find. These plants are extremely old, with some species being millions of years old! The Japanese kelp (phytessence wakame) has some of the oldest and most venerable seeds known. It is only now, after several thousand years, that this special kind of algae is turning into a popular natural dietary supplement in Japan. Other examples of extremely old seeds include some of the cat family (Aegle Marmelos), the Egyptian lentils (precoconidia), the Australian black elder (erythropodium album), and the Carrot top (allium sativum).
The seed coat is the part of a fruit that protects the interior of the fruit from eating away, especially when the fruit is cut up. The seed coat is made of a hard outer shell, surrounded by a soft inner core. This inner core can be gelatinous (gelatinized) or simply not having any seeds at all. The outer shell is often brown, yellow, green, or white and the seeds are either visible or not, but will usually be small.
Seed preserving is a common practice used to preserve the genetic diversity of crop products for future use. Some crops such as apples and pears have been in existence for centuries and in some areas their seeds are still passed down from generation to generation. Other crops, such as strawberries or potatoes, may be relatively recent invasions from other lands and their seeds are quickly killed off by modern farming methods. This is why there are so many seed banks. They are places where farmers, growers, and agriculturists will store their harvest in the hopes that it will grow and reproduce.
Climate change has caused many different crops to become extinct or at least threatened to become extinct. In order to save their crop diversity, seed banks have been established all over the world to preserve this wealth of genetic diversity. By growing and storing seeds from a wide variety of plants and animals (often multiple species), the seed banks are helping people fight the battle against climate change and help to conserve genetic resources that are vital to human life and survival.
