Fruit Terms:
Dehiscent - fruit is released at maturity by opening at lines/valves/slits
along the outside of the fruit
Indehiscent - fruit that does not open at a distinctive line/valve/slit
or any other opening
Ovate - egg shaped with base of fruit being the broadest part
Sporangium - a structure that bears a spore
Spore - any gametic (reproductive) cell that is formed via meiosis
Sporophyll - a leaf that bears sporangium, sporophylls often form a
structure such as a cone
Tubercle - swelling or thickened portion of an organ
Fruit Types:
Achene - dry, indehiscent fruit with seed
that is attached to the fruit wall such as the pistachio
Bur -Any fruit that is covered with barbs,
spines or appendages
Capsule - a general term for a a dry dehiscent
fruit
Cone - sporophylls located on an axis in a dense, conical shape
Follicle - a dry, dehiscent fruit opening on one side when ripe, like
a milkweed pod
Drupe - indehiscent, fleshy fruit with
a hard, stony seed inside. Example: cherry, apricot
Druplet - smaller, minor drupe
Nut - an indehiscent fruit characteristically
hard and dry
Nutlet -smaller, minor nut
Pepo - a fleshy fruit that has many seeds and tough, thick rind (such
as a watermelon or cucumber)
Pod/Legume - fruits resembling a legume,
fruit is dehiscent (see above), dry and contains several seeds
Samara - fruit that is "winged", dry,
and indehiscent
Utricle - tiny, thin-walled fruit that
has a single seed and a papery covering over the outside that makes fruit
appears inflated like a balloon or bladder
Habitat
Descriptions/List Plant
Lists Plant Glossary
Announcements
Grasses/Sedges/Rushes
Algal Glossary
Algal Lists