Coccoloba uvifera

Why are the seeds of this species difficult? The seeds may have physiological dormancy, which can be overcome by mimicking the seasonal patterns of the species' native habitat.

E-mail your image to difficultseeds@kew.org

Seed Storage

This species is likely to have Orthodox seeds - dry to 15-20% eRH and store at -20ºC, or as cool as possible.

Germination Requirements

The seeds of this species may be Physiologically Dormant.

This type of dormancy can be overcome by mimicking the seasonal patterns of the species' native habitat. Use a moist pre-chill or pre-heat treatment (depending on local climatic conditions) or a dry after-ripening treatment, before germinating the seeds on agar, germination paper or sand at their optimum temperature. If this does not work, you can perform delicate surgery to enable the embryo to grow. Excise the tissue near the root tip.

Seed Morphology

The fruits (2 cm long) are egg- to pear-shaped and occur in clusters of up to 40-50. The thin, velvety fruit skin ranges in colour from dark purple to off-white. Each fruit contains a single, elliptical seed (1 cm long), pointed at one end.

See images of this species at the Digital Atlas of Economic Plants.

Taxonomy

Family: POLYGONACEAE

Accepted name: Coccoloba uvifera L.

Synonyms: Guaiabara uvifera (L.) House, Polygonum uvifera L.

Common name: sea grape

References and Links

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (1994). Genebank Standards. FAO/IPGRI, Rome, Italy.

PROTAbase (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) - Wageningen, Netherlands: Coccoloba uvifera.
SID (Seed Information Database) - Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK: Coccoloba uvifera.
Tropicos - Missouri Botanical Garden, USA: Coccoloba uvifera.