A Seed of an Idea Trivia Quiz

Answer: True nut

The spiny covering or burr which protects the chestnut fruit is not actually part of the fruit itself as it does not develop from the ovary but from adjacent tissues. The fruits often drop clear off the burrs, which may remain on the tree for longer. It is also common for the fruits to fall clear after the burr becomes detached from the tree. The fruit consists of two skins, the shiny brown outer husk and a thinner inner skin or pellicle which is attached to the seed or kernel itself.

The nut will go off relatively quickly unless dried or frozen. It is often eaten after being roasted by a fire. It is also reasonably easy to turn into a flour. As a flour it has a similar nutritional profile to wheat flour but without the gluten.

Answer: True nut

The fruit of the hazelnut tree (typically the Corylus avellana species) is the hazelnut. The fruits of some species are known as cobnuts or filberts. It has a fibrous husk and the seed also has a thin skin covering. Depending on the species, the involucre (equivalent of the burr on a chestnut) may be a leafy growth or a stiff, spiny one.

The nut drops clear from the involucre on maturity.

Answer: True nut

The acorn is the fruit of the oak family of trees of the Quercus genus. Most oak nuts or acorns are inedible without pretreatment to lower the bitter tannin content. Once that is done, they can be a useful food source. While the nut is growing, it is held in a cup-like structure known as a cupule.

Answer: True nut

The beech genus of deciduous trees consists of 14 species. Although mostly used for its wood these days, the edible nut (also known as beech mast) has a long history of usage. A sweet-tasting nut, it can also be roasted and pounded to make a coffee substitute.

Mast years occur when beech trees produce large amounts of seed leading to surges in animal populations. Here in New Zealand where I am located the mast years for the different regions can be predicted so that the targeting of rodents is more effective. This in turn eases pressure on bird populations.

Answer: Drupe

The word 'coconut' can refer to the palm, the fruit or the seed. Botanically the fruit is a drupe not a true nut. Like other fruits, it has three layers: the outer exocarp is shiny and often yellow-green in colour. The mesocarp (what would be the fleshy part of an olive, for example) is fibrous in a coconut and called coir. These two layers together are known as the husk.

The third layer is the endocarp which is the part typically found in shops as a coconut. This has the seed lining the inside of the shell, with the layer being called the coconut meat or flesh. The coconut flesh is gradually formed from the coconut water, which together with the flesh is the endosperm. The embryo is embedded in the endosperm, poised over the functioning one of three germination pores (or 'eyes') in the base of the 'shell'.

Answer: Drupe

The pecan is a large deciduous tree found in southern parts of USA and into Mexico. It is the state tree of Texas and state nut for five US states. It is grown mainly for its seed or its wood. Like all hickory genus trees of which it is a member, the pecan nut is a drupe rather than a true nut.

The husk forms from the exocarp tissue of the flower with the nut, including the seed, coming from the endocarp.

Answer: Drupe

The pistachio (Pistacia vera) is a member of the cashew family and has been eaten since Bronze Age times, according to archaeological evidence. It is grown for its edible seeds. The fruit is a drupe which contains the seed. The fruit has a hard exterior shell which changes colour from green to a yellow/red colour on ripening and then splits partly open with an audible pop. This is a human-selected trait.

Like most tree seeds, aflatoxin can be an issue for poorly harvested or processed pistachios. The shell-splitting habit makes this a higher risk.

Answer: Drupe

A member of the Prunus genus along with such fruits as the peach tree, the almond tree is normally grown for its edible seed rather than the flesh of its fruit. Green almonds are an exception; these are immature fruit (where the seed is in an immature jelly state) which are considered a delicacy in almond-growing areas. Bitter almonds contain around 40 times more cyanide in them than in sweet almonds and were once used as a medicinal source of the poison, however they are not recommended for eating.

Answer: Other

Probably best known for its contribution to Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola drinks in the 19th century, the kola nut is the seed from certain species of plants in the Cola genus which are native to tropical rainforests of Africa. These seeds are still used in flavouring some carbonated drinks, although probably not Coca-Cola itself.

The plant species used to be associated with the cocoa family, however they have now been placed with the mallow family. The seeds do contain theobromine (found in chocolate) as well as caffeine. They come in an oblong pod with 8 or 9 seeds per pod and normally five pods arranged in a star-shape on the tree.

Answer: Other

Also known as the groundnut, goober or monkey nut, the peanut is a leguminous crop plant grown as a grain crop or an oil crop in tropical and subtropical regions. The seeds are also eaten as culinary nuts. The pods containing the edible seeds grow underground, typically two seeds to a pod.

After pollination of the above-ground flower, a short stalk at the base of the flower extends a thread-like structure into the ground where the fruit develops. Despite not being a botanical nut, they have a similar nutritional to walnuts and almonds.

Answer: Other

Pine nuts are the edible seed from around twenty species of pine tree. They are extracted from a pinecone (or strobulus), a seed-bearing organ found on gymnosperm (meaning 'naked seed') plants such as conifers. They fall into the 'other' category in this quiz.

The seed forms in the female cone, often taking over a year to mature, with the males cones typically being temporary and less obvious. Around here in NZ, where I am located, during spring, brown mists of pollen can be seen on calm days. Unless kept dry, harvested seeds will quickly turn rancid. Freezing them is a way of preserving flavour.

Answer: Other

The long-lived Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) is the source of the edible seed. The multiple nuts are contained in a pod or capsule which splits open on maturity. As such, it is not categorised as a true nut. Its fruit can weigh up to 2 kg (4.4 lb).

Most of the world production of the nut is wild-harvested from Brazil and Bolivia. Pristine forest is required for the large-bodied bee species that are capable of pollinating the tree's flowers. Nuts in their shell can be a source of aflatoxins, however drying shelled nuts deals with this issue. The nut is an important source of dietary selenium.