Content is from Kirkbride et al. 2006Kirkbride et al. 2006:
Kirkbride JH, Jr, Gunn CR, and Dallwitz MJ. 2006. Family guide for fruits and seeds, vers. 1.0. Accessed September 2020-January 2022. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/seedsfruits/keys/frsdfam/index.cfm ., without modification except for new images.
Updates are forthcoming.
fruit - a segment of an entire fruit, or incomplete fruit with epicarpepicarp:
absent & mesocarpmesocarp:
exposed, or incomplete fruit with epicarpepicarp: and mesocarpmesocarp: absent and endocarpendocarp:
exposed, or seed.
Fruits: Pistil(s) compound, or simple; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels nearly separate to base. Fruit pericarpium; simple, or schizocarpschizocarp:
usually dry fruit splitting between two or more locules to form distinct, indehiscent, usually one seeded segments; fruit derived from a single, superior or inferior, compound ovary; compare to mericarp
; berryberry:
an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa.
, or capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary
, or drupedrupe:
(indehiscent drupe) a fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one more hard pits enclosing seeds, derived from single, superior, simple or compound ovary; (dehiscent drupe) a fruit with a dry or fibrous to fleshy or leathery outer husk that early to tardily breaks apart (or opens), exposing one or more nutlike pits enclosing the seeds
(Drypetes, but not Spjut), or samarasamara:
a winged, indehiscent, dry fruit containing a single (rarely two) seed(s)
(Hymenocardia acida Tul., but not Spjut); coccarium (Manihot esculentus Crantz, Spjut Fig.21 C-D); polospermatium capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (Austrobuxus carunculatus (Baill.) Airy Shaw, Spjut Fig. 41C-D & 2 families Ctenolophonaceae (listed as Hugoniaceae), Euphorbiaceae), or loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (not Spjut), or ceratium capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (not Spjut), or siliquesilique:
(includes silicle) a fruit derived from a 2-loculed, single, superior compound ovary in which the two halves of the fruit split away from a persistent partition (around the rim of which the seeds are attached)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (not Spjut), or septicidalsepticidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally by separating between the septa of adjacent carpels
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (not Spjut); capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary not inflated; capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary without operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence
; berryberry:
an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa. indehiscent; berryberry:
an indehiscent, fleshy fruit with one or a few to many seeds. The flesh may be homogenous throughout. Or, if the outer part is hard, firm, or leathery, referred to as an hesperidium. Septa are present in some, and the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa. without central placental mass; with persistent central column (maybe 3-winged or 3-ridged), or without persistent central column; valves diverging from top of central column (resembling umbrella ribs), or not diverging at top of central column; with styles(s); at apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ
; 1-seeded to many-seeded; 1-seeded (-many); with 2- 3-carpellate (-4-many); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels separating at stylestyle:
in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary; sometimes persisting in fruit
; without sterilesterile:
lacking male and/or female reproductive parts; also, not producing fruit or seed
carpels; sulcatesulcate:
surface relief—having one or more elongate, relatively narrow and shallow depressions or grooves
; in transection angledangular:
2D shape—having sides that meet at acute or obtuse angles
, or tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
, or flat; apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ not beaked; dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit)
, or indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
. Dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) unit seed(s). Dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) regularly; actively, or passively; elastically, or explosively; with valves coiling, or twisting; linearly; by ventralventral:
adaxial; of the side of an organ facing the axis (compare dorsal)
sutures, or dorsaldorsal:
abaxial; the back of an organ; the side away from the axis (compare ventral)
sutures; at apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ, or base; without replumreplum:
the rim, formed by the persistent placentas, and connected by a false septum in Brassicaceae fruits. The fruit valves are attached to this rim and separate from it in dehiscent fruits.
. Epicarpepicarp:
outer layer of fruit wall or pericarp, if divided into layers; note here used synonymously with exocarp durable; glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
, or not glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
(with hairs); hairs scattered; hairs not glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored
; with armature, or without armature; with spines; without armature glochidiate; smooth, or not smooth; warted (at least); without wing(s); without apicalapical:
at or pertaining to the end of the seed or fruit distal from its point of attachment (i.e., base)
respiratory hole. Mesocarpmesocarp:
the middle layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers present, or absent. Endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers present, or absent; not separating from exocarpexocarp:
outer layer of fruit wall or pericarp, if divided into layers; note here used synonymously with epicarp
; thin, or woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
, or bonybony:
very hard and rather brittle, like bone
; smooth; without wing; without operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinallongitudinal:
of or relating to length or the lengthwise dimension
ridges. Funiculusfuniculus:
(alt. funicle) stalk connecting the ovule (later seed) to the ovary (later fruit) placenta
short; short without seed bearing hookswith hooks:
bristles or spines with curved or backwards pointing tips, or with secondary bristles along their length
(retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds: Arilaril:
(broad sense) appendicular structure that wholly or partly envelops a seed and is produced from or a modification of the funicle, raphe, or outer integument; usually fleshy or pulpy, sometimes spongy or tufted-capillate, often brightly colored
present, or absent (Phyllanthoideae); an arillike structure. Arillike structure falling with seed a carunclecaruncle:
a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome
(brownish-white, white, small, large, hard); micopylar carunclecaruncle:
a localized outgrowth of the seed coat near the hilum of the seed; it functions as an elaiosome. Seed larger than minute; 1 to less than 5 mm long to 50+ mm long; 1–80 mm long; in transection compressedcompressed:
flattened; in grasses, used to denote compression (not necessarily flattened) either laterally or dorsiventrally
, or lenticularlenticular:
3D shape—lens-shaped; biconvex
, or tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
, or triangulartriangular:
2D shape—three relatively straight sides with distinct corners; more angular than teardrop-shaped
; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beakbeak:
a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered
; without caudatecaudate:
tapering to a long, tail-like appendage
appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves (rarely); with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotestasarcotesta:
pulpy or fleshy outer layer of the seed coat, simulates aril
absent. Testatesta:
seed coat
present; without markedly different marginalmarginal:
at, on, or close to the margin or border
tissue; without fleshy or leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
layer over hard layer; tight; shinyshiny:
uniformly reflecting a high proportion of incident light at all angles
, or dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen
; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with depressed features, or discreet raised features, or merged raised features; surface groovedgrooved:
surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface
, or pittedpitted:
surface relief—surface with small depressions in which the areas between the hollows do not take on the appearance of a true reticular net
; surface papillatepapillate:
surface relief—bearing minute, distinct, broad-based projections, tapering to a rounded apex
, or tuberculatetuberculate:
surface relief—bearing small, warty, swelling, rounded, or variously shaped projections
; surface 1- ridgedridged:
surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface
, or reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
, or striatestriate:
surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges
, or rugoserugose:
wrinkled
; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
, or pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
; without glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored pubescence; without wings; without collar; without operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades), or black, or blue; membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, or crustaceouscrustaceous:
texture—thin, dry, indurate, and brittle
; not becoming mucilaginousmucilaginous:
resembling mucilage; moist and sticky
when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Hilumhilum:
on seeds, the scar indicating where the funiculus was attached; on grass caryopses, the scar visible on the outer fruit surface revealing where the seed is attached on the inner fruit wall surface; or in Asteraceae cypselae, the scar visible on the outer fruit wall revealing where the fruit was attached to the receptacle
larger than punctatepunctate:
surface relief—dotted with pits or with translucent, sunken glands or with colored dots, similar to pitted
. Rapheraphe:
a ridge or seam on the seed coat, formed by the portion of the funiculus united to the ovule wall in longitudinally curved ovules
conspicuous; texture as testatesta:
seed coat
; shorter than seed. Endosperm development nuclear; copious; fleshy, or fleshy-soft; smooth; without starch (assumed); with oils and proteins (often poisonous); without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apicalapical:
at or pertaining to the end of the seed or fruit distal from its point of attachment (i.e., base)
lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; completely filling testatesta:
seed coat
(no food reserve), or partially filling testatesta:
seed coat
(with food reserve), or nearly filling testatesta:
seed coat
(trace or scanty food reserve); 0.7–1 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axileaxile:
on or of the axis
and centric; foliatefoliate:
appearing leaf-like
, or linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
; with spatulatespatulate:
2D shape—like a spatula; rounded at the apex, with base long and tapered; (of embryo) embryo is straight and axile and centric with the cotyledons expanded to form the shape of a spatula or spoon; (of cotyledons) cotyledons expanded and wider than the stalk but not invested into the stalk
cotyledons, or investinginvesting:
(of embryo) embryo is nearly or completely filling seed coat, straight, and axile and centric with spatulate cotyledons and covering the stalk for at least half its length; (of cotyledons) cotyledons spatulate and covering the stalk for at least half its length
cotyledons (slightly); straight, or C-shapedC-shaped:
2D-shape—semiannulate, curved into the shape of the letter 'C'
, or arcuate, or J-shaped, or U-shaped; obliqueoblique:
in a slanting direction or position, neither horizontal nor vertical
to seed length; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle, or gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.5–0.9 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle, or somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 1–7 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; not concealing hypocotyl-radicle, or partially concealing hypocotyl-radicle; foliaceous, or not foliaceous; thin, or massive; flat, or once-folded; smooth, or corrugate; with apicesapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ entire; with margins separate; basally entire; equal in size; not punctatepunctate:
surface relief—dotted with pits or with translucent, sunken glands or with colored dots, similar to pitted dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; straight; not thickened.
Euphorbia terracina L. is a federal noxious weed, more available on the Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S.
Noxious weeds: 1 or more USA state noxious weeds in this family.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Florida (FL), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Louisiana (LA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Dakota (ND), Ohio (OH), Oregon (OR), Puerto Rico (PR), South Dakota (SD), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Washington (WA), Wisconsin (WI), and Wyoming (WY).
USA state and territory noxious weeds:
Caperonia castaneifolia (L.) A. St.-Hil.: USA state noxious weed: LA°.
Euphorbia cyparissias L.: USA state noxious weed: CO●°.
Euphorbia dentata Michx.: USA state noxious weed: ID●, LA°.
Euphorbia esula L.: USA state noxious weed: AK●°, AZ●°, CA●°, CO●°, HI●°, IA●°, ID●°, IL°, KS●°, MI●°, MN●°, MO°, MT●°, ND●°, NE●°, NM●, NV●°, NY°, OH°, OR●°, SD●°, UT●°, WA●°, WI●°, WY●°.
Euphorbia heterophylla L.: USA state noxious weed: LA°, PR●.
Euphorbia myrsinites L.: USA state noxious weed: CO●°, WA●.
Euphorbia oblongata Griseb.: USA state noxious weed: CA●, WA●.
Euphorbia prunifolia Jacq. (=Euphorbia heterophylla L.): USA state noxious weed: FL●.
Euphorbia serrata L.: USA state noxious weed: CA●, HI°.
Euphorbia terracina L.: USA state noxious weed: CA●.
Euphorbia ×pseudovirgata (Schur) Soo (=Euphorbia esula nothosubsp. pseudovirgata (Schur) Govaerts): USA state noxious weed: SD°.
Jatropha gossypiifolia L.: USA state noxious weed: PR●.
Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb.: USA state noxious weed: AL●.
Phyllanthus urinaria L.: USA state noxious weed: AL●.
Ricinus communis L.: USA state noxious weed: TX°.
Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb. (=Triadica sebifera (L.) Small): USA state noxious weed: FL●, PR●.
Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed.
Last updated February 2006.
Notes: Airy Shaw noted drupedrupe:
(indehiscent drupe) a fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one more hard pits enclosing seeds, derived from single, superior, simple or compound ovary; (dehiscent drupe) a fruit with a dry or fibrous to fleshy or leathery outer husk that early to tardily breaks apart (or opens), exposing one or more nutlike pits enclosing the seeds for Drypetes, Picradendron, Stilago, and Uapaca. Spjut did not record this fruit. Read Corner (1976). Radcliffe-Smith (1991) from page 73: "The regma is generally triloculartrilocular:
(ovary or fruit) having three locules
, and is a schizocarpic fruit in which three kinds of dehiscence virtually takes place simultaneously 1) septifragalseptifragal:
type of capsular dehiscence, splitting through the exterior wall suture(s) but not the septum(-a), the valves of the wall then separating from the septum(-a) and the locules thus opened directly to the outside
, or separtion of the 3 mericarpsmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp)
or coccicoccus:
fruitlets, derived from a schizocarpous gynoecium, opening along their ventral sutures and sometimes the dorsal sutures as a result of their separation from one another or from a central axis (Spjut 1994, slight modification)
from the main axisaxis:
a straight line through the center of a structure around which the parts are usually symmetrically arranged, as in the stem or rachis of an inflorescence
, usually leaving a persistent 3-winged or -ridged columnella; 2) septicidalsepticidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally by separating between the septa of adjacent carpels
, or separation of the 3 mericarpsmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp) from each other; and 3) loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
, or dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) of the mericarpsmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp) themselves along a median suturesuture:
a line of fusion; a seam
line, this releasing the seeds. The latter phase of the dehiscence may be complete, as in Phyllanthus, resulting in 2 separate valves per mericarpmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp), or it may only be partialpartial:
(of embryo) embryo occupies over one-quarter of the seed interior but less than full, with some endosperm present. Partial embryo size is common in families with spatulate, linear, and curved embryo shapes., as in most other genera, leaving the pair of valves still joined together at one end". Fruit tardily dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) as in Pseutolochnostylis, irregularly dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) as in Margaritaria, or completely indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
and drupaceous as in Drypetes etc. Hymenocardia fruit bilocularbilocular:
(ovary or fruit) having two locules
, flattened, 2-winged & dehisces septifragally into 2 indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
winged mericarpsmericarp:
a one-seeded section (carpel) of a schizocarp, as in Apiaceae fruits (compare schizocarp). Before dehiscence, fruit resembles fruit of Ulmaceae. Stillingia upper part of fruit dehisces, but lower part does not.
Literature specific to this family: Radcliffe-Smith, A. 1986. A review of the family Euphorbiaceae. In: F.J. Evans, ed., Naturally occurring phorbol esters, pp. 63–85. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida; Krockmal, A. 1952. Seeds of weedy Euphorbia species and their indentification. Weeds 1:243–255; Murley, M.R. 1945. Distribution of Euphorbiaceae in Iowa, with seed keys. Iowa State Coll. J. Sci. 19:415–427.
General references: Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) & 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) & 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. & J.V. Dennis. 1976. World guide to tropical drift seeds and fruits, 240 pp. The New York Times Book Co., New York, Gunn, C.R. & C.A. Ritchie. 1988. Identification of disseminulesdisseminule:
detachable plant part capable of being disseminated and of propagating, commonly a seed or fruit
listed in the Federal Noxious Weed Act. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1719:1–313, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, & J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 & amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. & J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, & Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, and Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper & Row, New York.
Authors: M. Islam, A. Gottlieb, M. Maher, J. Scher, A. Redford
Content last updated August 2024
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