Solanum laciniatum seed collection and preparation

I gathered some Solanum laciniatum ripe "tomatoes" a couple of weeks ago, and put them on a sunny window ledge to dry. They've set rather like amber :(

http://www.florabank.org.au/files/documents/provenance/20070824-05.pdf says this:

"EXTRACTION & STORAGE
Seed can be collected by waiting for old fruit to wither dry on bushes, or collecting ripe fruit. Ripe fruit should be
punctured and placed in a warm dry area to fully dry, which usually takes 2-3 weeks. The fruit will give off an
unpleasant odour. Seed can then be rubbed away from the skin and sieved to clean (Ralph 1994; Bonney 2003). Seed
should be dried before storage (GAV n.d.)."

So should I just "rub the seed away from the skin and congealed flesh", even if that action is a bit violent!, or start again with some freshly harvested fruit using a different method?

 

Its not a problem, just store the congealed mass dry over winter.
They are very like tomato seeds, almost indestructable.

If you want the seed separate, then cut open the fruit squeeze out the fruit and place on a tile or similar, turn often while drying.
Or you could try the kitchen towel method, you then cut up the paper towel into small pieces each with a few seeds.

 

Don't fret about it Kristen! Just bung the fruits in the parcel, we'll sort the seeds out
Ooooh it sounds exciting...

 

Hehehe ... OK

 

That's the method that I use for Iochroma which is pretty similar. It goes like this;

When the fruit comes off the plant with very little effort place them on a saucer in a warm'ish room. When it starts to go black on to step two..............

I use three pieces of white workshop paper towel (good quality and strong). Fold two of the sheets into quarters, the last into eighths. Take a table knife and squish the fruit on the first sheet. Pick the seed by using the knife like a spatula and "wipe" the seed using strokes (like you would if painting with oils) on sheet number two, then place it on sheet three. You'll get into a rhythm quite quickly. Once the seed is evenly spaced on the last sheet you can dampen it (the sheet) then put in a placcy bag somewhere warm to germinate (Iochroma takes about ten days to start germinating) or keep the sheet dry and place in a placcy bag to store until later.