Brain Fruit

Last week while collecting our haul of sea beans, I found a large pod.

I had only seen one of these before and that was at the Coastal Expo in the TPWD box of beach goodies.

After some internet research I was able to determine that this was indeed a drift seed from called a brain fruit. It comes from a tree that grows only in southern Mexico.

TPWD lists it on their page of sea beans found in Texas.
This thing really looks like a brain!

The specimen I found is in pretty good shape. They don't hold up well to longer drifts.

After the coconuts, this is by far the largest drift seed I've found yet. Here it is next to a big black walnut.

The search continues...You never know what you are going to find when you are looking!