Glossary: Fruit / seed morphology

Legume A member of the pea family; a pea, or bean, or similar fruit

Nut A dry, 1-celled, 1-seeded fruit that does not split open on its own, having a hard and bony shell, sometimes with a fibrous or slightly fleshy outer covering. Did you know? Peanuts are legumes and almonds are seeds inside drupes; true botanical nuts include acorns, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.

Pappus A structure consisting of feather-like bristles or hairs attached to seeds (most often of the Aster family - Asteracea or Compositae) to help them disperse by means of wind. Did you know? The fluffy pappus on a dandelion cypsela acts like a parachute and can carry the fruit long distances on wind.

Parthenocarpic Producing fruits without fertilization. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant. Did you know? Seedless bananas and many seedless grapes are parthenocarpic fruits that develop without fertile seeds.

Pericarp The outer wall (skin) of a fruit. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant. Did you know? The peel, flesh, and inner shell of many fruits are layers of the pericarp — the ripened ovary wall.

Pome A type of fleshy fruit. This feature is connected to how seeds are protected, nourished, or moved away from the parent plant. Did you know? Apples and pears are pomes. The edible flesh forms from tissue around the ovary, not only from the ovary wall.

Septum The line of partition between the cells (locules) of a fruit.

Utricle A small fruit, thin-walled, one-seeded and more or less inflated like a bladder.

Valve One of the segments of a dehiscent fruit, separating from other such segments at maturity