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: Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; simple; Aglaia sp. nuculanium, 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
, or 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.
(latteral 3 found in Melioideae); loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary, or 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
capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary (Spjut Fig. 49A-B), 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; capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary not inflated, or 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; without persistent central column, or with persistent central column (Swietenioideae, Capuronianthoideae); valves diverging from top of central column (resembling umbrella ribs), or not diverging at top of central column; not within accessory organ(s); ?-many; ?-many; from 1–5 cm long to from 5.1–10 cm long; 2.5–10 cm long (at least); with (1–)5(–20)-carpellate (really (1-)2–5(-20)); with carpels united; with carpels remaining united at maturity; without sterilesterile:
lacking male and/or female reproductive parts; also, not producing fruit or seed
carpels; 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
; 4-angled; apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ
not beaked; wall woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
, or leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
, or membranaceousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, or fleshy; 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), or endocarp(s). Dehiscentdehiscent:
(v. dehisce) splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit) regularly; actively, or passively; at apexapex:
the point farthest from the point of attachment, or the "tip" of an organ, or base (or 1&3); 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
orange to pink, or gray to brown (all shades); dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen
; durable; glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
, or not glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
(with hairs); hairs not glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored
; without armature, or with armature; with Trichilia: slender & fimbriate bristles, or lignified trichomestrichome:
a hair or hairlike outgrowth of the epidermis
(Pseudobersama: antlerlike); without armature glochidiate; smooth, or not smooth; without wing(s), or with wing(s); 1–4-winged; with wing(s) apicalapical:
at or pertaining to the end of the seed or fruit distal from its point of attachment (i.e., base)
, or basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
, or laterallateral:
(of embryo) embryo lies along the side of the seed, generally towards one end; of, at, or from the side; in grasses, can refer to the sides adjacent to the dorsal and ventral sides
; 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
absent, or present; fleshy, or leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
, or hard (woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
); composed of 1 unified layer; without lactiform cavity system. 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 cartilaginouscartilaginous:
texture—firm, dense, tough, somewhat pliable, and resilient, like cartilage
, or thick; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; 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, or long; 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 may dangle from pseudo-funicules which are strips of endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers or placentaplacenta:
surface of the ovary that bears ovules
).
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
on winged seeds absent, or present (on unwinged seeds); 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, or an arillike structure; orange to red, or white, or yellow; well developed, or vestigal; 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
, or testatesta:
seed coat
; fleshy; of funicularfuniculus:
(alt. funicle) stalk connecting the ovule (later seed) to the ovary (later fruit) placenta origin, or outer integumentintegument:
ring-like or hood-like structure(s) that envelopes the nucellus, at maturity is the layers of the seed coat
origin; more or less encompassing, or basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
; fleshy. Arillike structure falling with seed an arillode. Seed larger than minute; 1 to less than 5 mm long to 50+ mm long; 1.5–70 mm long; reniformreniform:
2D or 3D shape—kidney-shaped
, or curvedcurved:
(of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart
, or ovateovate:
2D shape—egg-shaped in outline, widest point is towards one end of the organ, the other end tapers gradually, attachment at or near the broad end (compare obovate, ovoid)
, or sectorial shape; in transection compressedcompressed:
flattened; in grasses, used to denote compression (not necessarily flattened) either laterally or dorsiventrally
, 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 caudatecaudate:
tapering to a long, tail-like appendage
appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without food reserves (usually), or without apparent food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotestasarcotesta:
pulpy or fleshy outer layer of the seed coat, simulates aril
absent, or present (Melioideae & proliferated); fleshy, or corkycorky:
firm, relatively light, discontinuous but strongly cohesive, and resilient
, or woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
. Testatesta:
seed coat
present; without markedly different marginalmarginal:
at, on, or close to the margin or border
tissue, or with markedly different marginalmarginal:
at, on, or close to the margin or border
tissue; marginalmarginal:
at, on, or close to the margin or border
tissue corklike; without fleshy or leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
layer over hard layer, or with fleshy or leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
layer over hard layer; tight, or loose; dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with merged raised features; 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
; 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
; Melioideae without wings, or with wing(s); 1–2-winged; with wing encompassing seed, or wing at one end, or wings at both ends; 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 orange to red, or black, or white; thin, or membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, or thick; not becoming mucilaginousmucilaginous:
resembling mucilage; moist and sticky
when wetted; surrounding embryo, or 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
; irregular. 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
inconspicuous, or conspicuous; texture as testatesta:
seed coat
, or spongyspongy:
soft, light, discontinuous but cohesive, and somewhat resilient
arilloid tissue (arilloid); as long as seed; included in dehisced fruit. Endosperm development nuclear; copious; fleshy; smooth; without starch (assumed); with oils; 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; partially filling testatesta:
seed coat
(with food reserve), or nearly filling testatesta:
seed coat
(trace or scanty food reserve), or completely filling testatesta:
seed coat
(no food reserve); 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
; 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; straight, or bentbent:
(of embryo) embryo is bent at an acute, V-shaped angle with the ends close together and generally thick cotyledons
, or C-shapedC-shaped:
2D-shape—semiannulate, curved into the shape of the letter 'C'
, or J-shaped; parallel to seed length, or obliqueoblique:
in a slanting direction or position, neither horizontal nor vertical
to seed length; embedded in endosperm; with cotyledons abruptly connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.8–0.9 times length of embryo; somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 3–3.2 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; not concealing hypocotyl-radicle, or partially concealing hypocotyl-radicle (barely); not foliaceous; thick, or moderately thick, or thin; flat, or once-folded; smooth; 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 moderately developed; coiledcoiled:
(of embryo) linear embryo is very long and bent to form a coil whereby one end of the embryo is on the outside and the other end near the middle of the seed
; not thickened.
Mabberley: "Seeds winged and then attached to woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
columnella, or with corkycorky:
firm, relatively light, discontinuous but strongly cohesive, and resilient
outer layers, or with fleshy sarcotestasarcotesta:
pulpy or fleshy outer layer of the seed coat, simulates aril, or 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 or a combination of both, or none of these". Melioideae - unwinged seeds, Quivisianthoideae - winged seeds, Capuronianthoideae - seeds with corkycorky:
firm, relatively light, discontinuous but strongly cohesive, and resilient
sarcotesta; Swietenioideae - winged seeds with wings at 1 or both ends or woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
or corkycorky:
firm, relatively light, discontinuous but strongly cohesive, and resilient
sarcoteata. Study Corner. Arilloids fundamentally like the sacrotesta. Pennington & StylesStyle:
in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary; sometimes persisting in fruit
(1975): Fruit bright orange or red capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary of Trichilia & Dysoxylon; greyish-brown berriesberry:
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. in Aglaia or Lansium. Fruit usually capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary, either 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
(Capuronianthoideae and Swietenoideae and woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
with a central column angledangular:
2D shape—having sides that meet at acute or obtuse angles
or ridgedridged:
surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface but rudimentaryrudimentary:
(of embryo) embryo is small and fills less than a quarter of the seed and can be variable in shapes, such as linear, spatulate, or oval
in Schmardeae, Xylocarpus, Carapa) or loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
(Quivisianthoideae and Melioideae). Dehiscence of capsulecapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary basalbasal:
at or pertaining to the point of attachment; (of embryo) embryo occupies one end of the seed
, apicalapical:
at or pertaining to the end of the seed or fruit distal from its point of attachment (i.e., base)
or top and bottom concurrently. Loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
capsulescapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary of Melioideae do not have a central columellacolumella:
any pedestal-like prolongation of a floral receptacle extending beyond the distalmost level of perianth insertion and bearing the gynoecium; the stalk supporting a mericarp after dehiscence of a schizocarpic fruit, the central axis of the fruit having split longitudinally to yield two or four such stalks; composed of receptacular and (primarily) gynoecial tissues, especially in Apiaceae. See carpophore.
and may be woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
, leatheryleathery:
texture—moderately thick, tough, and very pliable
, membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, or even fleshy. And dehisecense of loculicidalloculicidal:
type of capsular dehiscence, opening longitudinally through the locules (compare septicidal)
always apicalapical:
at or pertaining to the end of the seed or fruit distal from its point of attachment (i.e., base)
. CapsulesCapsule:
a dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary rarely bear simple or branched appendages. - in Pseudobersema they are stout and anteler-like, whereas spp. of Trichilia are slender and frimbriate, Capuronianthus its endocarpendocarp:
the inner layer of the pericarp, if divided into layers dehisces regularly along septaseptum:
(pl. septa) a dividing cross wall or partition
whereas the epi-mesocarp dehisces irregularly or not at all. Melioideae has indehiscentindehiscent:
not opening on its own, as in a fruit
fruits, viz., soft berriesberry:
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. Aglaia and drupaceous Owenia. 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 may be thin cartilagenous or thicker and woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
. Rarely 1 species of Aglaia a nutnut:
a fairly large, indehiscent, dry fruit with a thick and bony wall surrounding a single seed, derived from a single, simple or compound ovary
(dry or woodywoody:
texture—consisting mainly of indurate lignified tissues, characteristic of or resembling wood
).
Literature specific to this family: Pennington, T.D. & B.T. StylesStyle:
in a flower, the narrow and elongated part of the pistil between the stigma and the ovary; sometimes persisting in fruit. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae. Blumea 22:419–540.
General references: Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette & Co., Paris, 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, Engler, A. & K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, 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., 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, 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, Roosmalen, M.G.M. van. 1985. Fruits of the Guianan flora, 483 pp. Institute of Systematic Botany, Wageningen Agricultural University. Drukkerij Veenman B.V., Wageningen, 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, 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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