The alma seeds are actually a capsule and contain tiny seeds inside(if they are round try breaking one open and there will be several seed inside each pod. I had plants of both embic and alma, things have gotten mixed around so not sure which tree is which, I seem to remember that emblic had a higher germination rate than alma. Fruit taste the same. I was told by a Thai friend that when they were a kid they had a sweet acidless alma/emblic that was worth a lot more money. Fruit are tart fresh, and much larger. The make some tasty pickles out of them in India.