FRUIT CLASSIFICATION

I. ORIGIN

A. Simple

1 flower, 1 pistil, 1 fruit

B. Aggregate

1 flower, many pistils, 1 fused-"fruit"

C. Multiple

many flowers, many pistils, 1 fused-"fruit"

II. COMPOSITION

A. True

ovary wall only

B. Accessory

ovary wall plus other parts

• receptacle
• bracts
• perianth, etc.

III. DESCRIPTIONS

A. Fleshy

1. Drupe - 1-seed, fleshy outer and inner stony layers

2. Berry - few to many seeds

a. Hesperidium - tough rind
b. Pepo - thick-skinned, accessory

3. Pome - fleshy accessory with cartilaginous core

B. Dry

1. Indehiscent [do not open]

a. Achene - 1-seed, fruit coat free from seed coat

b. Caryopsis (grain) - 1-seed, fruit coat fused with seed coat

c. Samara - 1-seed, fruit with winglike outgrowth

d. Nut - 1-seed, thick hard wall, surrounded by cup or husk

2. Dehiscent [do open]

a. Follicle - 1 carpel splits along one side only

b. Legume - 1 carpel splits along both sides

c. Silique - 2 carpels lose outer walls leaving septum

d. Capsule - compound pistil, splitting lengthwise or by pores

Example	Origin	Composition	Description
Raspberry	aggregate	true	drupe
Apple	simple	accessory	pome
Mulberry	multiple	true	drupe

This page © Ross E. Koning 1994.

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Koning, Ross E. "Fruit Classification". Plant Physiology Website. 1994. http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/plants_human/fruittype.html (your visit date).

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