A
simple fruit is defined as "a fruit that develops from a pistil consisting
of one or more carpels (simple or compound), or from a pistil and some
auxiliary parts, whether these parts are true or false. A simple fruit may be
dry or indehiscent. A dry fruit may be dehiscent or indehiscent. It may also be
cleaved, meaning the carpel or carpels split into segments, each segment
containing a single seed."
1.1
Dry Simple Fruits
1.1.1
Dehiscent Simple Fruits
Legume fruit: A single-carpel, dry fruit. It develops from a single-chambered superior ovary and opens from the dorsal and ventral flesh, as in the fruits of the Fabaceae subfamily, including the pea and the broad bean (Figure 1).
Follicle Fruit: A single-chambered, superior, dry fruit, like a legume fruit, but it opens from only one side. A follicular fruit is either simple or compound. Simple fruits are rare and may sometimes be seen in the shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) (Figure 2). Compound fruits are common among plant families and consist of two, three, or more separate carpels, as in Delphinium and Goblin powder (Lagunaria patersonii).
Silique
fruit: A
long, narrow, multi-seeded fruit. It develops from a dioecious superior ovary
with two parietal placentas. It opens from top to bottom along the ventral
margins into two valves. The two valves are joined by a false septum, which
arises as an extension of the ventral
margins of the carpels. It is common in the Brassicaceae family. The mustard fruit may also be short, broad, and flattened, in which case it is known as the mustard seed, as in some members of the Brassicaceae family, such as shepherd's purse (Figure 3).
The capsule: A solitary, multi-chambered, multi-seeded fruit. It develops from a superior or inferior ovary composed of one or more carpels. It opens in various ways, as in poppies, cotton, datura, and okra (Figure 4).
1.1.2
Simple indehiscent Fruits
Caryopsis fruit: A small, dry, single-seeded fruit. It develops from a superior, single-carpel ovary. The fruit coat is fused with the ovary walls. It is common in the grass family (Poaceae), such as wheat, rice, corn, and barley (Figure 5).
Achene fruit: A small, dry, single-chambered, single-seeded fruit. It develops from a superior or inferior single-carpel ovary. However, it differs from the caryopsis in that both the ovary walls and ovule walls are separate. The simple achene is uncommon, found in only a few plants, such as nightshade. However, it is common in clustered fruits, such as roses and strawberries (Figure 6).
Cypsela fruit: A dry, single-chambered, single-seeded fruit. It develops from a dioecious, inferior ovary. The outer fruit covering and the two seed coverings are separate, as in the Asteraceae family, such as the sunflower (Figure 7).
Samara: Similar to the achene,
it consists of a single carpel, but the pericarp extends into wing-like
appendages, as in the fruit of Tipuana.
(Figure 8).
Nut Fruit: A dry, single-chambered, single-seeded fruit. It develops from a dioecious or polycarpalous, superior ovary. Its outer covering is rigid or woody, such as the cashew, oak, chestnut, and nut (Figure 9).
1.1.3.
Schizocarpic Simple Fruits
Loment fruit: An indehiscent, dry, segmented pod. Each segment contains a single seed. It splits transversely at septa or grooves into segments. Each segment contains a single seed, as in the acacia (Figure 10).
Cremocarp fruit: Consists of two chambers, is indehiscent, and is dry. It arises from an inferior dicarpellary ovary. Upon ripening, it splits into two indehiscent segments, each called a fruit or mericarp. Each segment contains a single seed. The fruiting bodies remain attached to the characteristic end of the fruiting stalk, as in cumin, anise, and carrots (Figure 11).
Samara fruit: Double-winged fruit arises from a superior dicarpellary ovary. Upon ripening, it splits into two winged fruits. Each fruit contains a single seed. Each fruit has a wing, as in the fruits of the maple tree (Figure 12).
Regma fruit: The cleaved fruit is indehiscent and dry. It arises from a fused pistil. It splits from the center into several segments, called cleavages. It contains one or two seeds. The seeds are released later when the dry fruit decomposes, as in the case of castor beans (Figure 13).
Carcerule: It develops from a bi- to multicarpellary syncarpous, superior ovary with many locules, each having one or more ovules on the axile placentation. It is characteristic of Labiatae as the fruit of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) (Figure 14).
1.2
Simple, Succulent Fruits
Drupe fruit: A succulent fruit consists of one or more chambers. It contains one or more seeds. It develops from a free or fused pistil, with a pericarp composed of a leathery outer layer, a fleshy middle layer, and a hard inner layer, as in mangoes and olives (Figure 15).
Berry fruit: A lower or upper (sometimes) fruit that is unopened. It is usually multi-seeded, succulent, or drupeous. They originate from a single carpel or from a fused pistil with a parietal or axial placenta, such as tomatoes, eggplants, bananas, and guavas. The ovules are initially attached to the placenta in the fleshy fruit, but later detach and remain free within the pulp. Sometimes, a single-seeded fleshy fruit is found, as in dates (Figure 16).
Pepo fruit: A multi-seeded fruit, fleshy or oily, that develops from a single- or triple-separated inferior ovary with fused pistils and a parietal placenta. It remains attached to the seeds embedded in the flesh, as in cucumbers and pumpkins (Figure 17). This fruit characterizes the Cucurbitaceae family.
Pome fruits: An inferior fruit with fused pistils and fleshy pulp. It consists of one or two locules enclosed in the receptacle. In this type of fruit, the receptacle is eaten, while the actual fruit within it is not, as in pears and apples (Figure 18).
Hesperidium fruit: A fleshy fruit, composed of two or more chambers. It develops from a pistil with fused petals and an axial placenta. The inner perianth protrudes outwards, forming distinct chambers. The outer and inner perianths are fused into a soft or compressed leathery membrane, as in oranges and lemons (Figure 19).
Balusta fruits: Develops from a lower pistil with many chambers and seeds and fused petals. It consists of two peripheries of basal carpels located within the receptacle. During ovary development, the outer carpels transform into a compound covering. Thus, two layers of chambers are formed, the outermost of which occupies a wall position. The outer membrane of the fruit is rough and leathery. The walls of the chambers that make up the fruit are thin and membranous. The seed coat is filled with acidic juice. The perianth, or inner membrane, is characterized by its horny nature (hard or rough), as in pomegranates (Figure 20).
Amphisaraca fruit: It is developed from a many-chambered ovary in which the outer part of the pericarp is woody, e.g., Bael fruit (Figure 21).
References
Brooks,
Sean (2013). The Book of Trees: An Introduction to Botany Through the Study of
Trees. Internet Archive. Memoria Press. p. 53.
Kancheepuram
N Gandhi; Roy D Thomas (1983). A note on the classification of fruits.
Salisbury,
Frank B.; Parke, Robert V. (1964). Vascular plants: form and function. Internet
Archive. Belmont, Calif., Wadsworth Pub. Co. p. 157.
Singh G. 2004. Plants
Systematics: An Integrated Approach. Science
Publishers. p. 83.
Sinha N, Sidhu J, Barta J, Wu J, Cano MP. 2012.
Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing. John Wiley
& Sons.
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