Perhaps Trapa natans?
Mary



On Jun 16, 2011, at 8:42 AM, Allen Aigen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I found a seed pod(?) on a New York City beach that is about 30 mm, has two pairs of triangular points radiating out (in two directions on two planes near the stem end(?), and a square opening protected by stiff hairs on the blossom(?) end.  It is black, very stiff and apparently empty (I did not try to cut it open.)
> There is no plant in NYC that has such a seed pod, so I assume it came north with the Gulf Stream.   Perhaps the points were evolved to prevent the pod from being ingested by a large bird or mastodon.
> I checked 'sea bean' sites and found nothing similar.  Since shell collectors include naturalists walking beaches, I hope someone can help identify it.  :-)
>
> Allen Aigen
> Staten Island, NY
> [log in to unmask]

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