Mysterious Beans

21 years ago

These "bean" seeds were found in a 150-yr-old house in the eastern U.S. (Sorry, no photo capability.) They may be from anywhere in the world, as the house is near a seaport.

They are a uniform dark mostly-dull brown, roughly oval (although some tend toward squarish or triangular), and have some slight depressions on the surface, like dried skin over a skeleton. They are large, about 20mm long, the main body is about 5mm thick, but the top flares out to almost 10mm in thickness and has a crease at the top. One of them has a little "hook" at the top, like what holds a bean in the pod.

I *THINK* I have ruled out Tamarind, Hymenaea and Cassia due to the large size, at least by the few photos/descriptions that I could find online. (It's amazing how hard it is to find seed photos!)

Any help would be much appreciated, even a direction to follow. This mystery is driving me crazy!

Thank you,

Sue in WA/western U.S.

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Comments (14)

plantsplus
21 years ago
To try to solve your mystery - boil some water then pour over some of the seeds - leave to sit for 24 hours in the water - then plant the seeds in a pot of moistened soil at about 20mm deep. Seal the whole lot up in a ziplock plastic bag and place in a well lit warm (but not in full sun) place. Check regularly to ensure the soil is still damp (not to wet) and see what if anything comes up. At least you will have leaves to try to identify then. You could also look up legumes and their seeds on the net. Good luck
Belgianpup
Original Author
21 years ago
I have done just that, but nothing so far. Do you think seed from over a century ago will still be able to sprout?

Sue
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I was only trying to compare the beans I have with varieties they look like. The lady who gave the seeds is from the Birmingham, AL area, so it's likely her Aunt Dee is from that area, but I can't be certain. The Purple Speckle Beans look much like one of the four types seen in Cherokee Cornfield Beans (I noticed this while planting my Cornfields yesterday.) It's possible they're a relation. Or it may just be coincidence. The only reason I related to the Uncle Willie Beans was that their description matched closely. The Purple Speckles will get planted, I think, but probably next year. The reason I'm researching these beans, and other seed varieties that came in the donation, is that the seeds were given to the Ft. Toulouse living-history program. The job was delegated to me to find which ones were of varieties that would be accurate for our time period, the French & Indian War. The garden belongs to the interpreters who portray the neighboring mid-1700's Native American community, of the Alabamas. So it's a garden that's mainly Native varieties with an influence of French varieties. But if I cannot find information, the seeds won't get planted in the fort garden next year.
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User
21 years ago
Hi Sue,
What about the Indian bean tree (Catalpa speciosa) which is native to parts of the USA....just an idea!
Cheers,
Dee.
Belgianpup
Original Author
21 years ago
Here's a link to a photo of those beans:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/namegal/msg0513464315119.html?28430

(BTW, it's not Catalpa, which have winged seeds...)
Thanks!

Sue
User
21 years ago
Oh, okay, It was just a thought. I couldn't find a description of the actual seeds of the Catalpa.
Belgianpup
Original Author
21 years ago
"I couldn't find a description of the actual seeds of the Catalpa."

That's exactly MY problem! At least with your suggestion, I was able to use the name to go through page after page of Google search results, and eventually found that they had wings of some kind, and are quite small.

But I think you're working along the same lines as I am, that they're probably from a long pod of some kind.

I took them to work, where there are Vietnamese, Cambodians, east Indians, and Chinese, but nothing.

This is worse than hearing "I'm Your Puppet" on the radio going to work and not being able to get it out of my head for the next 3 days!

Sue
User
21 years ago
Sue,
I was just wondering; where in the house did you find the seeds? If it was dark, dry and cool, you might well be able to germinate them. How many seeds do you have? It might be worth at least trying one. Do you have a Botanical Garden in your area? They might be able to identify them for you.
Cheers,
Dee.
Belgianpup
Original Author
21 years ago
Dee, I only started with a dozen. A woman in NY posted the original query, and she sent some to me. She said she found them (if I understand correctly), in a kind of hidey-hole in the floor, under a desk.

The first 3, I just put in moist soil, but they rotted. The second three, I put in moist soil on a heat mat, but they rotted. I just soaked the next set for a few hours, then put them in moist soil out in the sun.

We don't have a Botanical Garden here (I'm kind of out in the sticks), but I was contemplating calling our local Cooperative Extension service and asking if I could send them some. But I am running out.

BTW, I hit one with a hammer to look inside, and the "meat" was as hard as ivory. But I'm still trying. Always want to solve a mystery!

Sue
User
21 years ago
Sue,
Thanks for the reply. I didn't realise I was on another person's thread over there. I really do think from her posting that it is some kind of food source though. For the era, it seems the most likely thing. Why don't you ask her for some more, it sounded like she had plenty of them. I'm sure she would like the help in solving the mystery!!
Cheers,
Dee.
steveqld
21 years ago
I think your been could be Entada phasaloides. match box been. its creeper from the tropics ,it floats and is found right around the world ,washing up on the beaches from nz to england
Belgianpup
Original Author
21 years ago
STEVE, YOU ARE BRILLIANT!

That's what they are. Shrunken a bit, dried up to ivory hardness, but that really seems to be them.

I had given up.

How on earth did you find them?

Sue
User
21 years ago
Sue,
Isn't that great that someone has identified them for you! I found this site with some really good photos that may help you confirm the identity.
Cheers,
Dee.

Here is a link that might be useful: entada phaseoloides
ara133
21 years ago
I'm finding this thread FASCINATING, because I was in the Virgin Islands a few years ago and picked up quite a few seeds. This was before the airlines & mail acquired more stringent rules, and I brought a bunch home. I had found two of these entada bean seeds! I had no idea what they were, and it took forever to find a website describing them. But yes, I found the same thing you did- they are hard as rocks! I tried planting mine also, and while they did swell up, both rotted (I had them on moist paper towels in ziplock bags). I wonder if anyone gets them to germinate...
Grant_fnq
21 years ago
Sue,
As the seeds were found in a house on the eastern seaboard of the USA it is possibly unlikely that they are Entada phaseoloides. This is a vine of the tropical areas of SE Asia, Australia and the South Pacific. They are very common in the rainforests near where I live. It is more likely that it is one of the South American Entada or Mucuna species. I believe that seeds of both these species look similar and are commonly found on the beaches of the Carribean Islands and Central and South America. Try a Google search on either of these species, or try "Seabean"
Grant

Mysterious Beans

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