Slide 24
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THE SAPUCAIA (LECYTHIS PISONIS)

The enormous fruits of this species take nearly a year to mature.

Upper left: fruits as big as a human head.
Upper right: fruits dehiscent.
Lower right: seeds with arils.

The seeds of the sapucaia are equally as delicious as the Brazil nut, but they are not easy to harvest because the lid opens at maturity and bats carry away the seeds to eat the attached arils at their night roosts.

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