Of the 288 seeds, 117, or approximately 40 percent, are 
well preserved (Plate LVII, A). The outer surface of 
the specimens is only slightly eroded and the parallel 
longitudinal lines and paired winged protuberances are 
clearly seen. The average maximum length is 14 mm. : 
the average maximum width 8 mm. These seeds are a 
light brown color. There are 137 seeds, approximately 
48 percent of the total, which show intermediate degrees 
of erosion (Plate LVII, B). All of the specimens in this 
group show a marked degree of erosion, in some cases 
the wings of the seeds having completely disappeared. 
However, the parallel lines and the ridge on the edge 
of the seed can still be detected. Finally, there is a third 
group of seeds which shows the greatest evidence of ero- 
sion with neither parallel lines nor wings remaining (Plate 
LVII, C). There are 34 seeds, or 12 percent of the total, 
in this group. The average maximum length of these 
specimens is 14 mm.; the average maximum width 7 
mm. The similarity between the average maximum 
length of the best and most poorly preserved seeds can 
be explained by the fact that in both groups the charac- 
teristic points at the center of either end of the seed are 
part of the harder inner layer of the seed coat. They are 
thus more resistant to erosion than those parts of the 
testa that comprise the softer outer layer. In these two 
groups of specimens these points were used in the ma- 
jority of cases in obtaining the maximum seed length, 
since the wings did not extend below the point at the 
center of the broad end of the seed. 
The well preserved seeds of this gourd from Aspero 
resemble the large, broad, winged seeds from the Pre- 
ceramic levels at Huaca Prieta described by Whitaker, 
although their average maximum measurements lie be- 
tween the measurements of his two categories. The slen- 
der, eroded seeds from the same gourd might easily be 
[ 175 | 
