Fruits are derived from the ovary of the flower.

Fruits are of three types:

Simple fruits-

Aggregate fruits-

Descriptive Terminology- Fruits

Stamen

Stigma

Ovary

Raspberry flower

Aggregate fruit

Stamen

Carpels

Carpel (fruitlet)

Raspberry fruit

Fruits protect seeds, aid in seed dispersal, and

can be a factor in seed germination.

Fruits may be dehiscent (splits open).

Pineapple inflorescence

Multiple fruit

Flower

Each

segment

develops

from the

carpel

of one

flower

Pineapple fruit

Multiple fruits-

Peas are dehiscent, the pods split along the side

releasing the seeds.

A simple, dehiscent fruit – the legume, found in peas,

beans, etc.

Additional simple, dehiscent fruits:

Follicle

Capsule

Additional simple, dehiscent fruits:

Silique

At maturity, the dry pericarp separates into 3 portions; the

seeds are attached to the central, persistent portion.

Additional simple, dehiscent fruits:

Silique Silicle

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include: achene

Simple fruits can also be indehiscent (doesn’t split open),

and either dry or fleshy.

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include:

nutlet

The sunflower “seed” is actually an achene; the shell is

the pericarp.

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include: caryopsis

The almond is also a drupe, but we don’t see the

fleshy part. The initial fleshy pericarp eventually dries

and becomes the hard covering of the seed.

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include: achene

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include:

cypsela

The “seeds” of corn and other grasses.

Loment

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include: samara

The wings are outgrowths from the ovary wall.

Other dry, indehiscent simple fruits include:

Schizocarp

One of the most common fleshy simple fruits is the drupe.

Plants that produce drupes include cherries, plums,

peaches and olives.

The almond is also a drupe, but we don’t see the fleshy

part. The initial fleshy pericarp eventually dries and

becomes the hard covering of the seed.

Other fleshy, simple fruits include:

Berry

Pepo

The cucurbits (watermelon, cucumber, squash) are pepos.

Hesperidium

A heperidium is another specialized berry and includes the citrus fruits.

Other fleshy, simple fruits include:

Pome

The pome is derived from an inferior ovary.

Aggregate fruits

Stamen

Stigma

Ovary

Raspberry flower

Aggregate fruit

Stamen

Carpels

Carpel (fruitlet)

Raspberry fruit

Multiple fruits

Pineapple inflorescence

Multiple fruit

Flower

Each

segment

develops

from the

carpel

of one

flower

Pineapple fruit

Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), a native North

American tree with multiple fruits

The fig is a multiple fruit in which the individual fruits are drupes.

Know different fruit types-simple, aggregate, and multiple.

Know dehiscent vs. indehiscent fruits; dry vs. fleshy fruits

Know examples of different fruits-pomes, hesperidium, pepo, drupe, samaras, caryopsis, achene, legume, loment,

silique, silicle, schizocarp, capsule (loculicidal; septicidal; poricidal; circumscissile),

follicle, berry, cypsela, nut, nutlet,