They are dark brown to almost black on the outside, with a hard shell and curved projections resembling horns.
This unusual shape is characteristic of water caltrops.
Water caltrops are aquatic plants that grow in ponds, lakes, slow-moving waterways, and other freshwater environments. Their fruits develop underwater and eventually become hard, woody structures.
Depending on the species, the fruit may have two, three, or four prominent projections.
That’s why people around the world have given them memorable names.
Some varieties are known as:
Water caltrop
Horned water chestnut
Buffalo nut
Bat nut
Devil’s nut
Singhara
The exact common name varies considerably from one country or region to another.
Why Do They Look Like Little Horned Animals?
The strange shape isn’t accidental.
Those hard projections are part of the plant’s reproductive strategy.
When the fruit matures, its shape and weight help it interact with the surrounding environment and eventually contribute to the plant’s reproduction.
The hard exterior also protects the edible seed inside.
From a human perspective, however, the horns create one immediate problem:
They’re not exactly easy to peel.
