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.
Updates are forthcoming.
Fruits: Fruit pericarpium, or anthocarpanthocarp:
simple or compound and including some tissue of non-ovarian origin (accessory tissue)
; simple; capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary
, or hesperidiumhesperidium:
a specialized berry, derived from a compound ovary, in which the outer layer is hard, firm, or leathery
(Spjut Fig. 25A-C & 2 families: Nymphaeaceae & Rutaceae for Citrus); ceratium capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary; 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
; simple; acrosarcum (Barclaya); without persistent central column; crowned by sepalssepal:
a member of the outer envelope of a flower (calyx)
, or petalspetal:
a member of the inner envelope of a flower (corolla)
, or stigmastigma:
the portion of the pistil receptive to pollen
; with styles(s); at apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ
; more than 1 but less than 10-seeded to 25 to less than 50-seeded (based on carpelcarpel:
a simple pistil that consists of a single ovary, style, and stigma
numbers); (3–)35-seeded (really (3-)5–35); with (3–)35-carpellate (really (3-)5–35); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels not radiating at maturity; without sterilesterile:
lacking male and/or female reproductive parts; also, not producing fruit or seed
carpels; not sulcatesulcate:
surface relief—having one or more elongate, relatively narrow and shallow depressions or grooves
; in transection tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
; apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ not beaked; indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
, or dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit)
(when bursting irregularly because of swelling of mucilage within). Dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) and shedding seeds; 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
dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen
; durable; glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
; without armature; 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; fleshy; composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system. Endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers
present; not separating from exocarpexocarp:
outer layer of fruit wall or pericarp, if divided into layers; note here used synonymously with epicarp
; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; without operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence; without secretory cavities; 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 (Barclaya); a true 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; well developed; adnate to 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
; dry; of funicularfuniculus:
(alt. funicle) stalk connecting the ovule (later seed) to the ovary (later fruit) placenta origin; basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
; does not aid in seed explusion from fruit; spongyspongy:
soft, light, discontinuous but cohesive, and somewhat resilient
; cupshaped. Seed larger than minute; in transection tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
; 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; with perispermperisperm:
seed nutritive tissue comparable to the endosperm, but derived from the nucellus (maternal tissue)
, or 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; dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen; surface unsmooth, or smooth; surface with merged raised features; surface colliculatecolliculate:
surface relief—covered with small, round projections, similar to blistered
, or reticulatereticulate:
surface relief—netted, raised walls or concave grooves forming a net-like surface pattern with flat, concave, or convex interspaces
, or ridgedridged:
surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface
(long); 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, or with bristles (softly spinulose in Barclaya); glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
, or pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
(may be hooked); with hairs over surface; 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, or with operculumoperculum:
a dehiscent cap (or lid) of a seed or fruit that opens during germination or dehiscence (obscurely for Barclaya); colored; monochrome; blue; not becoming mucilaginousmucilaginous:
resembling mucilage; moist and sticky
when wetted; surrounding embryo. Endosperm development cellular, or helobial, or nuclear; scant to copious; 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. Perispermperisperm:
seed nutritive tissue comparable to the endosperm, but derived from the nucellus (maternal tissue)
copious; with starch; with starch composed of clustered grains; opaqueopaque:
not transmitting light
. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testatesta:
seed coat
(with food reserve); 0.1–0.2 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
; straight; capping one end of perispermperisperm:
seed nutritive tissue comparable to the endosperm, but derived from the nucellus (maternal tissue)
; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons, or acotyledonous. Cotyledons 2; tiny; thin; flat; smooth; with apicesapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ entire; with margins separate, or adhering; 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 undeveloped.
Noxious weeds: 1 or more USA state noxious weeds in this family.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: California (CA) and Puerto Rico (PR).
USA state and territory noxious weeds:
Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm.: USA state noxious weed: PRª.
Nymphaea mexicana Zucc.: USA state noxious weed: CAª, PRª.
Nymphaea odorata Aiton: USA state noxious weed: PRª.
Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed.
Last updated February 2006.
but is distinguished from it [a berry] by the bursting of the outer stout layer of the pericarp…an inner lining of each loculus of the fruit…detaches…which at first floats on the water like a sac containing the seed…".
Literature specific to this family: Goebel, K. 1887. Outlines of classification and special morphology of plants. A new edition of Sach's text-book of botany, Book II, translated by H.E.F. Garnsey, revised by I.B. Balfour. Clarendon Press, Oxford.
General references: Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette & Co., Paris, 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. & 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, and Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182.
Authors: M. Islam, A. Gottlieb, M. Maher, J. Scher, A. Redford
Content last updated August 2024
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