Family: Anacardiaceae; genus: Spondias This member of the cashew family floats on water to reach its germination ground. It comes from 30-meter-high trees that grow fleshy, yellow or red fruits with rich flavor. David Liittschwager
Family: Icacinaceae; genus: Calatola This brainlike seed grows inside a fleshy green fruit that many animals eat. "Trees in the Amazon seem to produce a high abundance of these fruits each year, which means they have plenty of seeds for dispersal and germination," Janovec says. David Liittschwager
Family: Cochlospermaceae; genus: Cochlospermum This capsule, really a fruit, is filled with seeds from the Brazilian rose family. Janovec says, "I personally think that this is one of the most beautiful seeds out there. Like other hairy or winged seeds it emerges from a dry capsule during the late dry season, just before the rain that comes in late September and into October. The seeds are blown by the wind, but water dispersal is also an important continuation of [how it reaches its germination ground]. One can often see this plant growing in the forests along rivers. In June and July the large yellow flowers are visible from the river." David Liittschwager
Family: Sapotaceae; genus: Pouteria This is a big seed from a family of trees that has been used to produce chewing gum. Some species have been cultivated for their edible fruit, such as lucuma and caimito, which are more familiar to people in the tropics. David Liittschwager
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Family: Fabaceae; genus: Rhynchosia This hard, bright-colored seed mimics fleshy fruits so birds will eat it and help it propagate. David Liittschwager
![More Seeds of the Amazon [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/4A9CEE7C-929C-4F80-A327A1D60D61621A.jpg?w=590&h=393)
