Fruit Anatomy

Study Notes

Drupe: derived from a single carpel, usually one-seeded, with a hard endocarp, thin exocarp, and fleshy mesocarp (e.g., cherry, almond, peach, apricot, olive).
Berry: derived from a compound ovary, with multiple seeds embedded in flesh (e.g., tomato).
Hesperidium: characteristic of citrus fruits (lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit), with a thick leathery rind, juicy pulp, and oil glands.
Pepo: a berry-like fruit, characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae family (e.g., cucumber, melon, squash).

Classification criteria: flower structure, number of ovaries, number of carpels, pericarp nature (dry or fleshy), dehiscence, and sepals/receptacle role.
Simple fruits: derived from a single ovary, may be dry or fleshy, with one or more carpels.
Aggregate fruits: derived from multiple ovaries of a single flower (e.g., strawberry, blackberry).
Multiple fruits: derived from the ovaries of several flowers, grown together (e.g., fig, pineapple).

Pericarp Dry and Dehiscent:
- Pod: characteristic of Fabaceae (Leguminosae), with a shell (pericarp) and seeds (e.g., bean, pea).
- Follicle: opens along one suture, developing from a single carpel.
- Capsule: derived from a compound ovary, dehiscing in various ways.
- Silique: characteristic of Brassicaceae, with two locules and seeds attached to the central portion.

Achene: dry, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit (e.g., sunflower), with a pericarp separable from the seed coat.
Grain or Caryopsis: dry, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit (e.g., grass), with pericarp and seed coat firmly united.
Samara: dry, indehiscent fruit, with an outgrowth of the ovary wall forming a wing-like structure.
Schizocarp: characteristic of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), with two carpels splitting along the midline into two one-seeded halves (e.g., carrot, celery).
Nut: one-seeded, indehiscent dry fruit with a hard or stony pericarp (e.g., chestnut, acorn, walnut).

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