Encyclopedia
Schizocarp
Dry fruit composed of multiple segments
A schizocarp /ˈskɪzəkɑːrp/ is a dry fruit that, when mature, splits up into mericarps.
There are different definitions:
- Any dry fruit composed of multiple carpels that separate.
- Under this definition the mericarps can contain one or more seeds (the mericarps of Abutilon have two or more seeds) and each mericarp can be either:
- Indehiscent (remaining closed), such as in the carrot and other Umbelliferae or in members of the genus Malva, or
- Dehiscent (splitting open to release the seed), for example members of the genus Geranium. This is similar to what happens with a capsule, but with an extra stage. (In Abutilon, the mericarp is sometimes only partially dehiscent and does not release the seed.)
- Any fruit that separates into indehiscent one-seeded segments, such as a loment, Malva, Malvastrum, and Sida.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Schizocarp”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa fruits, pastinaak vruchten (3).jpg by Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Muskuskaasjeskruid vrucht.jpg by Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
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