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Dry fruit: follicle, capsule or achene

Tuesday 2 November 2004, by Rebecca, www.botanique.org

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Dry fruits can be dehiscent with a seed release at maturity or indehiscent without any splitting at maturity.

Dry and dehiscent fruits open at maturity permitting the release of enclosed seeds.

A dry and dehiscent fruit is:

- A follicle when it is many-seeded, formed from one carpel and dehiscing along one side only,

- A pod or a legume when it is a follicle dehiscing along two sides,

- A capsule when it is formed from more than one carpel.

Dry and indehiscent fruits do not split at maturity to release seeds. It is the whole fruit that is dispersed by wind or insects. A dry and indehiscent fruit is:

- An achene when it is indehiscent and 1-seeded with the seed coat distinct from the fruit wall (pericarp),

- A samara when it is an achene with a flat wing formed from the pericarp,

- A caryopsis when it is an achene with the seed coat (testa) united to the fruit wall. It is a feature of the grasses.

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