Sabal minor:

I didn't take any pics of this one.

There will usually be a flatter end of the seed. Sometimes this end will have a small mark from where the seed was attached to the flower stalk.

The embryo is on the opposite end, the rounder end.

Thanks for sharing the pictures! After my post earlier I messed around with the jubaeas and finally figured out where to sand. Still not sure if I went too deep or not deep enough. Will know by morning! I also studied the nannorrhops seeds and had a lot of difficulty seeing anything suggesting a spot to sand! After your post I will look again in the morning. Also delided a few Brahea armata so we will see how that goes.

Good luck! The spots on the Nannorrhops are really hard to see, you'll probably have to view them under a lamp or something 😆

What kinds of seeds does this benefit?

In this case it's palm seeds, although I did the same thing with canna seeds. It's especially helpful for tricky or long-germinating seeds, such as the needle palm and jubaea seeds.

Just a way of letting moisture get in the seed?

Im going to have to scarify my canna seeds, and ive read that needle palms benefit from it too ( as youve said)

Excellent research Cameron.
Nannorhops ritchiana were the hardest for me to figure out. Seed looked the same at both ends for me.

Wodyetia bifurcata (Foxtail Palm), de-lidding would occur at the "non pointy" end of seed (exactly at the end).

<img src=" " width="375" height="500" alt="DSC03471" />

This topic is a wonderful resource, Cameron, to which everyone can refer in future for stubborn/long germinating seeds.
Thanks for doing it!

Barb

Cameron, this web page was done by Palms North's very own Steve (KNNN) several years ago.

Shows Salacca wallichiana germinating, fitting into this topic. I think it's excellent work.

http://www.adjacentandremotegermination.kansaspalms.com/

Barb

that's a great link!

Yes, Steve has created precise and well-researched documents...wish I could find the rest of it.
Heck I'll just HOUND HIM to help out here.

Medjool Date seeds. Also not at either end.

<img src=" " width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00720" />

Barb

NOTE: These 3 did not survive, so maybe de-lidding was incorrect.

Dypsis decaryi Triangle Palm

<img src=" " width="500" height="375" alt="DSC00686" />

Cameron
You may want to look at the needle palm seeds again. I had some in a baggie (no de-lidding) and I checked them this morning for signs of germination. One was putting out a root from the rounded smooth side (opposite the grove). I got to looking for the embryos on that side and found the more typical rounded dot just up from center towards the smaller diameter end of the seed. Could be wrong but it sure looked like it. You need to go deeper than normal on most seeds which may explain why their so hard to germinate!
Gayland

Barb

Are you sure those aren't peach seeds a few post's back? 😉

Thanks gpenny, I'll take another look at them today!

Cameron, something's odd here: in your Sabal minor post of Feb.9, you say:

There will usually be a flatter end of the seed. Sometimes this end will have a small mark from where the seed was attached to the flower stalk.
The embryo is on the opposite end, the rounder end.

Wouldn't the opposite end of where it was attached to the inflorescence be the sharp pointy end?

Or is this like Nannorhops ritchiana and I don't know which end is which?

At my age I need pictures...big pictures. 😆
Barb