Fruit Types And Terms

Front 1

berry

Back 1

Entire pericarp is fleshy, although skin is sometimes tough; may be one or many seeded.

Ex: grape, tomato, papaya, pomegranate, sapote, persimmon, guava, banana and avocado

baccate - berry-like

pomegranate dubbed "balusta" (Spjut 1994); it can be seen as a dehiscent berry with fleshy arils around the seeds

Front 2

hesperidium

Back 2

is a modified berry with a tough, leathery rind and parchment-like partitions between sections.

Ex: Rutaceae (citrus)

Front 3

pepo

Back 3

Berry with a hard, thick rind; typical fruit of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae).

Ex: watermelon, cucumber, squash, cantelope and pumpkin; papaya (Carica); Musa can be considered pepo

Front 4

drupe

Back 4

Fleshy fruit with hard inner layer (endocarp/stone) surrounding the seed.

Ex: peach, plum, nectarine, apricot, cherry, olive, mango and almond. Some botanists also include the fruits of walnuts, pecans, date palms, macadamia nuts, pistachio nuts, tung oil and kukui nuts as drupes because of their outer, green, fleshy husk and stony, seed-bearing endocarp. These latter fruits are also called drupaceous nuts.

The coconut is considered a dry drupe with a green, waterproof outer layer (exocarp), a thick, buoyant, fibrous husk (mesocarp) and a hard, woody, inner layer (endocarp) surrounding the large seed. The actual seed embryo is embedded in the coconut meat (endosperm). Nutrient-rich coconut milk is liquid endosperm that has not formed firm tissue with cell walls. According to Spjut (1994), the fruit of a coconut (Cocos) is a "nucleanium."

Many culinary nuts are best described as drupes

Front 5

pome

Back 5

Ovary or core surrounded by edible, fleshy receptacle tissue, hypanthium or fleshy floral tube, that is really not part of the pericarp. The actual ovary or core is usually not eaten, at least by most humans.

Ex:Rosaceae (tribe Maleae sf. Amygdaloideae), including apple, pear, quince and loquat.

Front 6

dehiscent dry fruits

Back 6

Pericarp dry, splits open along definite seams (suture) into distinct segments (valves).

Legume, silique, capsule, follicle

Front 7

legume

Back 7

An elongate "bean pod" splitting along two seams (dry, dehiscent)

The legume fruit is composed of a single carpel and does not have a central partition or septum.

Typical fruit of the third largest plant family, the legume family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae). The pod represents one folded modified leaf or carpel that is fused along the edges. E.g. black locust, redbud, acacia, coral tree, orchid tree, wisteria and many more genera. Note: Some legume fruits are indehiscent, including the carob tree, mesquite and honey locust. In addition, some legume fruits are oblong, rounded, kidney-shaped (reniform), or coiled (spiral-shaped), such as sweet clover (Melilotus alba and M. officinalis), black medic (Medicago lupulina), bur clover (M. polymorpha) and alfalfa (M. sativa). Some specialized legume fruits (called loments) break apart into indehiscent one-seeded joints. A good example of a loment is the very effective hitchhiker called stick-tights or beggar's-ticks (Desmodium cuspidatum).

The peanut (Arachis hypogea) is a legume. After fertilization, the flower stalk of the peanut curves downward, and the developing fruit (legume) is forced into the ground by the proliferation and elongation of cells under the ovary. The peanut pod develops via subterranean fructification.

Front 8

silique

Back 8

A slender, dry, dehiscent fruit that superficially resembles a legume, except the mustard silique is composed of two carpels with a replum (partition/septum of Brassicaceae) down the center (i.e. between the two carpels or valves).

This is the typical fruit of the mustard family (Cruciferae or Brassicaceae). E.g. field mustard, turnip and cabbage (Brassica species), stock (Mathiola), wallflower (Erysimum) and London rocket (Sisymbrium).

The silicle is a shortened (less elongate) version of a silique, including sweet alyssum (Lobularia), peppergrass (Lepidium) and shepherd's purse (Capsella). [Note: As with legumes there are a few exceptions to the typical form of siliques and silicles. In wild radish (Raphanus) the silique does not split lengthwise, but instead it breaks transversely into several seed-bearing joints. In lace pod (Thysanocarpus) the silicles are indehiscent.]

Front 9

capsule

Back 9

Seed pod splits open in various ways and usually along several definite seams. Capsules typically split open (dehiscent or indehiscent types) into well-defined sections or carpels.

Capsules may split open along the locules (loculicidal), along the septa (septicidal), through pores (poricidal), or the entire top of the capsule separates as a single lid-like section (circumscissile).

This is a very common dry fruit found in many different plant families.

E.g. Catalpa, Jacaranda, Pittosporum, Aesculus, Agave, Yucca, Eucalyptus, devil's claw (Proboscidea), floss silk tree (Chorisia), kapok tree (Ceiba) and castor bean (Ricinus communis).

A common landscaping tree in southern California called the golden-rain tree (Koelreuteria) produces bladder-like capsules that are loculicidally dehiscent into three valves. The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) produces a classic poricidal capsule in which the tiny seeds fall out of the pore-like windows as the capsule shakes in the wind. The edible weed called purslane (Portulaca) has a many-seeded circumscissile capsule. The Mexican jumping bean (Sebastiana pavoniana) produces a 3-carpellate capsule, each carpel bearing a seed. Sometimes the carpel is occupied by a special moth larva that eats the seed and moves its one-room carpel container by contorting and hurling its body. In the liquidambar tree (Liquidambar styraciflua) the globose fruiting heads are composed of numerous tiny capsules, each bearing one or two winged seeds and a number of aborted ovules (immature seeds). It should be noted here that some capsules are indehiscent. Their carpels do not separate and release the seeds. Two examples of plants with indehiscent capsules are the South African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) and two species of South African gardenias (Gardenia thunbergii and G. volkensii). The seed pods of South African gardenias are chewed opened by large herbivores, and the seeds are dispersed in their feces. Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) holds "nuts" in capsule.

Front 10

follicle

Back 10

A dry unilocular fruit formed from one carpel, containing two or more seeds. It is usually defined as dehiscing by a suture; i.e. a single ripened ovary that splits open along one seam.

Some difficult cases exist however, so that the term indehiscent follicle is sometimes used, for example with the genus Filipendula, which has indehiscent fruits that could be considered intermediate between a (dehiscent) follicle and an (indehiscent) achene. An aggregate fruit that consists of follicles may be called a follicetum.

Ex: hellebore, aconite, Delphinium, Aquilegia or the family Crassulaceae, where several follicles occur in a whorl on a shortened receptacle, or Magnolia, which has many follicles arranged in a spiral on an elongated receptacle.

The follicle may occur singly (as in milkweed) or in clusters: two in oleander, 2-5 in peony, 3 in larkspur, 5 in columbine and 4-5 in bottle tree (Sterculia or Brachychiton).

The cone-like fruit of the magnolia tree is an aggregate of many small follicles, each containing a single bright red seed. The term apocarpous refers to flowers with separate and distinct carpels, such as delphiniums and columbines of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Although it also belongs to the buttercup family, the fused (syncarpous) carpels of Nigella form a many-seeded capsule.

Front 11

indehiscent dry fruits

Back 11

Pericarp does not split open; usually one seed.

Achene, anthocarp, caryopsis (grain), schizocarp, samara, nut, utricle

Front 12

achene

Back 12

Very small, one-seeded fruit, (monocarpellate), usually produced in clusters. At maturity the pericarp is dry and free from the internal seed, except at the placental attachment.

This is the typical fruit of the largest plant family, the sunflower family (Compositae or Asteraceae). Examples of this type of fruit include the sunflower (Helianthus), buttercup (Ranunculus), sycamore (Platanus), Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), strawberry (Fragaria) [born on enlarged, red, juicy receptacle].

In the sycamore, the globose fruiting heads are composed of tiny, one-seeded achenes interspersed with hairs.

The globose heads of the liquidambar tree are actually composed of numerous tiny capsules.

Front 13

anthocarp

Back 13

Most of the fruit comes from the perianth (floral whorls).

In the four o'clock family (Nyctaginaceae), individual apetalous flowers have a tubular, petaloid calyx that resembles a sympetalous corolla. The lower portion of the calyx tightly enwraps the one-seeded achene and is persistent around the fruit as an anthocarp. The calyx base plus the enclosed seed-bearing achene is the unit of dispersal. In some members of the Nyctaginaceae, the persistent calyx base bears sticky glandular projections that aid in dispersal by adhering to the bodies of animals. This is especially true in pisonia trees (Pisonia umbellifera) in which the numerous glutinous anthocarps stick to the feathers of seabirds. This is an effective method of dispersal to distant atolls and islands of the South Pacific region. Sometimes a hapless seabird is completely covered by clusters of the sticky anthocarps, to the point where flight is difficult or impossible. Unable to remove the water-resistant, glue-like anthocarps from its feathers, the seabird drowns in the surf and is consumed by ravenous beach crabs.

Front 14

caryopsis/grain

Back 14

A caryopsis (pl caryopses) is a type of simple dry fruit — one that is monocarpellate and indehiscent. The actual seed coat is completely fused to the ovary wall or pericarp. The outer pericarp layer or husk is referred to as the bran, while the inner, seed layer is called the germ.

Resembles an achene, except that in a caryopsis the pericarp is fused with the thin seed coat.

The caryopsis is popularly called a grain and is the fruit typical of the family Poaceae (or Gramineae), which includes wheat, rice, and corn.

Ex:Corn (maize), wheat, rice, rye, barley, oats, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass

The term grain is also used in a more general sense as synonymous with cereal (as in "cereal grains", which include some non-Poaceae). Considering that the fruit wall and the seed are intimately fused into a single unit, and the caryopsis or grain is a dry fruit, little concern is given to technically separating the terms "fruit" and "seed" in these plant structures. In many grains, the "hulls" to be separated before processing are actually flower bracts.

Front 15

schizocarp

Back 15

A small dry fruit composed of two or more sections that break apart into mericarps; however, each section or carpel (mericarp) remains indehiscent and contains a single seed. Because the seed-bearing sections or carpels (called mericarps) do not split open, this type of fruit is usually placed under indehiscent dry fruits, but is sometimes considered dehiscent.

This is the characteristic fruit of the carrot family (Umbelliferae or Apiaceae). E.g. Carrot (Daucus), celery (Apium) and sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). It also uniquely has "vittae", oil tubes in the carpel walls.

Filaree or stork's bill (Erodium) and cheeseweed (Malva), two common weeds in southern California. In these weeds, the seed-bearing carpels (mericarps) separate from each other, but remain indehiscent. Gynoecium is a collective term for the carpels of a flower. Biologists commonly refer to this floral unit as a pistil. Monocarpous flowers are composed of one carpel (a simple pistil). The terms apocarpous and syncarpous refer to compound pistils composed of more than one carpel. Apocarpous flowers contain two or more distinct carpels. In syncarpous flowers, two or more carpels are fused together. In cheeseweed, the carpels are attached to a central, conical connection stalk, but separate from this stalk at maturity. Some authors consider the fruit of the maple (Acer) to be a schizocarp because it splits into two indehiscent, seed-bearing carpels; however, because of the wing on each seed-bearing carpel, other botanists refer to maple fruits as double samaras (see the samara fruit).

Front 16

samara

Back 16

Small, winged, indehiscent one-seeded fruit (winged achene); flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue develops from the ovary wall; usually produced in clusters on trees.

Samaras resemble the winged seeds of a pine, but they are truly one-seeded fruits with a pericarp layer surrounding the seed.

The seed can be in the centre of the wing, as in the elms (genus Ulmus), the hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), and the bush willows (genus Combretum). The seed can be on one side, with the wing extending to the other side, making the seed autorotate as it falls, as in the maples (Acer) and ash trees (Fraxinus).

Ex: Maple (Acer): a double samara, ash (Fraxinus), elm (Ulmus) and tree of heaven (Ailanthus).

Like auto-rotation of helicopters, the samaras spin as they sail through the air, an effective method of dispersal.

The leguminous tipu tree (Tipuana tipu) has a winged fruit that certainly resembles a samara even though it belongs to the legume family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae).

Front 17

nut

Back 17

Larger, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit with very hard pericarp, usually enclosed in a husk or cup-like involucre.

In true nuts, the hard, indehiscent layer surrounding the seed is the entire ovary wall or pericarp, and the outer husk is composed of involucral tissue that is not part of the ovary wall or pericarp.

Exs:

Acorn of oak (Quercus): The actual nut sits in a cup-shaped involucre of imbricate (overlapping) scales.

Chestnut (Castanea), beech (Fagus) & chinquapin (Castanopsis): One or more nuts sit in a spiny, cup-shaped involucre.

Hazelnut or filbert (Corylus): Nut sits in a leafy (C. americana) or tubular (C. cornuta) involucre.

*(Juglans) and pecan (Carya) are placed in the drupe category (section A-4) above, although some botanists maintain that they are true nuts. In true nuts, the hard, indehiscent layer surrounding the seed is the entire ovary wall or pericarp, and the outer husk is composed of involucral tissue that is not part of the ovary wall or pericarp. According to most botanical references, the outer green layer (husk) of the walnut is part of the pericarp and the hard shell surrounding the seed is really the endocarp. Therefore, walnuts and pecans probably fit the dry drupe category rather than a true nut. Other authorities claim that the walnut husk is composed of involucral tissue, perianth and an outer layer of pericarp, but is not totally derived from the pericarp. However, since the walnut husk contains pericarp tissue (at least in part), and is not entirely derived from involucral (non-pericarp) tissue, it can be considered a drupaceous nut (as opposed to nut, proper).

Front 18

utricle

Back 18

Similar to an achene, small, bladderlike, thin-walled, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit.

Although it is seldom seen by casual observers, this is the characteristic fruit of the duckweed family (Lemnaceae). The dehiscent one-seeded fruits of Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) are often called circumscissile utricles because the top half of the fruit separates, exposing a shiny black seed.

Front 19

Aggregate fruits (etaerio)

Back 19

A merger or aggregation of many ripened ovariesproduced from a single, apocarpous flower.

In blackberries and raspberries (Rubus), the individual fruits are tiny, one-seeded drupes or drupelets. Since all the seed-bearing ovaries (carpels) form a fused cluster, the fruit is also called a syncarp.

In strawberries (Fragaria), the individual fruits are tiny, one-seeded achenes imbedded in a sweet, fleshy receptacle. Another term for an aggregate cluster of ovaries all derived from a single flower is the "etaerio." In fact, a rose hip (Rosa) eaten as an entire fruit could be considered an etaerio of achenes enclosed by a fleshy receptacle.

Fruits of the genus Annona (Annonaceae), including the sugar apple (A. squamosa), cherimoya (A. cherimola), custard apple (A. reticulata) and soursop (A. muricata) resemble large fleshy berries with scales or projections on the outer surface. They are actually composed of many ovaries fused together and are technically aggregate fruits called syncarps. They are not multiple fruits because they develop from a single flower bearing many pistils (carpels).

Front 20

Multiple fruits

Back 20

A cluster of many ripened ovaries (fruits) produced by the coalescence of many flowers crowded together in the same inflorescence, typically surrounding a fleshy stem axis.

Ex: mulberry, osage orange, pineapple, breadfruit and jackfruit.

In the mulberry (Morus), the individual fruits are tiny drupes called drupelets.

In the pineapple (Ananas), the individual fruits are berries imbedded in a fleshy, edible stem, each berry subtended by a jagged-edged bract where the original flower was attached.

The fleshy spadix of Monstera deliciosa is also a multiple fruit because it is derived from numerous, tightly-packed female flowers.

Another term for multiple fruits composed of a fleshy spike or raceme of tightly packed ovaries is thesorosis.

Front 21

Accessory fruit

Back 21

(sometimes called false fruit, spurious fruit, pseudofruit, or pseudocarp) is a fruit in which some of the flesh is derived not from the ovary but from some adjacent tissue exterior to the carpel. Examples of accessory tissue are the receptacle of the strawberry, Pomes, such as apples and pears, can be considered accessory fruits, with much of the fruit flesh derived from a hypanthium.

Other example could be the anthocarps specific to the family Nyctaginaceae, where most of the fruit comes from the perianth (floral whorls).Fruit with fleshy seeds, such as pomegranate or mamoncillo, are not considered to be accessory fruit.

The cashew (Anacardium occidentale) is a reniform drupe superior to an enlarged receptacle called the cashew apple.

Front 22

synconium

Back 22

Figs produce syconium fruits. In a syconium, the entire inflorescence ripens into a hollow fruit with the seeds attached to an inverted receptacle.

It is really a fleshy stem with a number of flowers, so it is considered both a multiple and accessory fruit. The name comes from the Ancient Greek word sykon, meaning "fig".

Front 23

Hips (via Rosa)

Back 23

Hips are the fruits in Rosa. Hips are produced from an enlarged hypanthium that grows to surround the numerous achenes

Roses are propagated from hips by removing the achenes that contain the seeds from the hypanthium (the outer coating) and sowing just beneath the surface of the soil. The seeds can take many months to germinate. Most species require chilling (stratification), with some such as Rosa canina only germinating after two winter chill periods have occurred.

Front 24

nutlet

Back 24

A small nut in group of seeds in a capsule.

Ex: when one-seeded portions of a fruit, such as a labiate fruit, that fragments when mature

Front 25

article

Back 25

section of a fruit separated from others by a constricted joint

Front 26

carpophore

Back 26

a slender prolongation of the receptacle between the carpels as a central axis

Such as in the fruits of some Apiaceae and Geraniaceae

Front 27

locule (cell)

Back 27

a hollow cavity or compartment within an ovary containing ovules/seeds

Front 28

commissure

Back 28

the face by which two carpes join one another

Ex: Apiaceae

Front 29

loment

Back 29

the pod of some leguminous plants, breaking up when mature into one-seeded joints

Front 30

cupule

Back 30

a cup-chaped persistent involucre

Ex: acorn

Front 31

septum (dissepiment)

Back 31

a partition, often refering to the partitions separating the locules of an ovary

Front 32

pericarp

Back 32

The wall of the fruit, consisting of an endocarp (first layer beyond seed), mesocarp, exo(epi-)carp

Front 33

funiculus

Back 33

A stalk connecting an ovule or a seed with the placenta (the ovary wall).

Front 34

operculum

Back 34

a small lid, such as the deciduous cap of a circumscissile capsule

Front 35

ovary

Back 35

immature fruit

the expanded basal portion of the pistil that contains the ovules (seeds)

Front 36

stipe

Back 36

a stalk attaching the fruit to the receptacle

Front 37

vittae

Back 37

oil tubes in the carpel walls of fruits

Front 38

aril

Back 38

fleshy growth from testa which can fill a similar role as fruit

Front 39

bur

Back 39

a fruit with hooked or barbed appendages

Front 40

infructescence

Back 40

The ensemble of fruits derived from the ovaries of an inflorescence. It usually retains the size and structure of the inflorescence.

Front 41

diaspore

Back 41

a plant dispersal unit consisting of a seed or spore plus any additional tissues that assist dispersal. In some seed plants, the diaspore is a seed and fruit together, or a seed and elaiosome