Strange fruit

[Richard Jensen]

While cleaning out old boxes of museum jars, etc., a colleague of mine came
across a fruit that I am unfamiliar with.  It is cylindrical, measuring 38 cm
long, and 1.5-2.0 cm in diameter.  Externally, it is dark brown with two
apparent sutures running the full length.  The pericarp is very hard and varies
from 0.5 - 1.5 mm thick.  The interior is transversely septate into numerous
sections (about two per cm of length) and the septae have a glossy black coating
of hard, dry material.  The seeds (only one per septate section as far as I can
tell) are ovoid, measuring about 8 mm by 6 mm, somewhat laterally compressed,
glossy umber in color, and with a distinct line on one of the "flatter"
surfaces.

If this description is not sufficient, I'll post a digitial photo (I don't have
my camera handy at the moment).

Thanks for help with an ID.

Dick

--
Richard J. Jensen              | tel: 574-284-4674
Department of Biology      | fax: 574-284-4716
Saint Mary's College         | e-mail: rjensen at saintmarys.edu
Notre Dame, IN 46556    | http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rjensen