98 SOUTH AFRICAN BOTANY 
and only by studying its development from the flower 
can its nature be ascertained. 
Simple fruits may again be divided into Dry and 
SuccuLEnt, and dry fruits may be either DEHISCENT (i.e. 
they open to let the seeds out), or INDEHISCENT (do not 
open). Succulent fruits are almost all indehiscent. 
65. Dry, Indehiscent Fruits.—The dry, indehiscent 
fruits are divided into three groups: Achenes, Nuts, 
and Schizocarps. 
An Achene is a small, dry, indehiscent fruit, contain- 
ing one seed, and usually formed from one carpel, e.g. 
Ranunculus. A Cypsela differs from an ordinary Achene 
in being formed from two carpels. This fruit is found 
in the Compositae. A special kind of Achene is found 
in the Gramineae, where the pericarp and testa are 
united. This is called a CARYOPSIS. 
A Nor is larger than an Achene, has a harder peri- 
carp, and is formed from more than one carpel, e.g. 
Acorn. A variety of Achene or Nut is the winged, one- 
seeded, indehiscent fruit called SAMARA, e.g. Combretum, 
Dodonaea. 
A ScuHrzocaRrpP is a dry, indehiscent fruit formed from 
several carpels and splitting when ripe into as many 
parts as there were carpels; each part is called a 
MERICARP and contains one seed. Schizocarps are found 
in N.O. Malvaceae, Geraniaceae, Umbelliferae, etc.; and 
the fruits of Hollyhock (Althea), Nasturtium (Tro- 
pxolum) are Schizocarps. The fruit of Ricinus (Castor 
Oil) is like a Schizocarp, but the three Mericarps after- 
wards open and set free the seeds. 
66. Dry, Dehiscent Fruits.—There are several kinds 
of dry, dehiscent fruits. 
