Glossary: Fruit / seed morphology

Achene A dry one-seeded fruit that does not normally split open Did you know? What most people call a sunflower seed is actually an achene. The striped shell is the fruit wall, and the edible kernel inside is the seed.

Aril An appendage growing at or near the hilum of a seed. A fleshy thickening of the seed coat, as in yews. Did you know? The juicy red parts of a pomegranate are arils, each surrounding a seed.

Berry A fleshy pulpy multi-seeded fruit. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant. Did you know? Botanically, bananas, tomatoes, and grapes are true berries, while strawberries are not.

Capsular Pertaining to a capsule. Like a capsule. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant.

Conifer A plant that bears its seeds in a cone or cone-like structure - such as cedars, cypresses, junipers, and pines Did you know? Pines, spruces, firs, junipers, and cedars are conifers that bear seeds in cones instead of fruits.

Drupe A type of stone fruit encased in a fleshy or fibrous outer covering. Did you know? Peaches, cherries, plums, olives, and almonds are drupes. An almond is the seed inside a stone fruit.

Embryo The undeveloped plant inside a seed. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant.

Endosperm The starch and oil containing part of many seeds. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant. Did you know? Cornstarch comes from corn endosperm, the food-storage tissue meant to feed the young seedling.

Fertile Capable of producing seeds or pollen. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant.

Follicle A dry seed pod, which splits open, consisting of a single section and opening along a single side.