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Wayne'sWord Index NoteworthyPlants Trivia Lemnaceae Biology101 Botany Search

EconomicPlantPhotographs#8

FruitsCalledNuts
W.P.Armstrong15March2009

Anutmaybedefinedasaoneseededfruitwithahardpericarp(ripenedovarywall).Oneorseveralnutsmaysitinacup
shapedstructurecalledaninvolucre.Inoaks(Quercus)theinvolucreiscomposedofsmallscalesandtheentirestructure
(involucreplusnut)iscalledanacorn.Inchestnuts(Castanea)andbeech(Fagus)theinvolucreisspiny,whileinfilberts
andhazelnuts(Corylus),theinvolucreisleafyortubular,dependingontheexactspecies.

Thisisasimplifiedclassificationofdryfruittypesthatfollowsmostgeneralbotanytextbooksandplantidentification
manuals.Therearemanyfruitsthatdon'texactlyfitthenutordrupecategories.Foranindepthstudyofthesefruittypes,
pleaserefertotheASystematicTreatmentofFruitTypesbyRichardSpjut(MemoirsofNewYorkBotanicGarden,Volume70,
1994).Thisscholarlyarticleisbasedonextensiveresearchofclassicalfruitnomenclaturedatingbacktothe18thcentury.
Unfortunatelyitdoesnotusetheterm"nut"asadistinctfruittype.

Assortmentoftrueandfalsenuts:A.Hazelnut(Corylusamericana),B.Pecan(Caryaillinoensis),C.Peanut(Arachis
hypogea),D.MacadamiaNut(Macadamiaintegrifolia),E.Almond(Prunusamygdalus),F.BrazilNut(Bertholletia
excelsa),G.Chestnut(Castaneadentata),H.KukuiNut(Aleuritesmolucanna),I.WaterCaltrop(Trapabicornis),J.
Walnut(Juglansregia).[Truenuts:A.&G.Drupes:B.,D.,E.,H.,I.&J.Seeds:F.Legumes:C.Note:Thepecan(B)
andwalnut(J)arealsoconsideredtobeatruenutsbysomebotanists.]

Introduction

Notallnutsfittheabovedefinition.Infact,Webster'sNewWorldDictionaryoftheAmericanLanguage(1970)alsodefinesa
nutasafoolish,crazyoreccentricperson,oroneofthetwotesticlesinamale.Manysocalledbotanicalnutsaremoreappropriately
termed"drupes"or"drydrupes."These"falsenuts"arereallytheseedbearing,hard,innerlayer(endocarp)ofafruitcalledadrupe.
Indrydrupestheouterlayerorhusksometimessplitsopenorwithers.Thisouterhuskispartoftheovarywall(pericarp),andthe
hardinnerwallsurroundingtheseedrepresentstheinnerpartofthepericarp.Drydrupesaretechnicallynottruenutsbecauseintrue
nutsthehardouterwallconstitutestheentirepericarp.Thecoconut(Cocosnucifera)isaclassicexampleofadrydrupe,withathin,
green,outerlayercalledtheexocarp,athick,fibrousmiddlelayercalledthemesocarp,andaveryhardinnerlayersurroundingthe
largeseedcalledanendocarp.Thesesamethreelayersareeasilyvisibleinfleshydrupessuchasthepeach(Prunuspersica),plum
(P.domestica),andapricot(P.armeniaca).Unshelledalmonds(P.amygdalus)areseedsstillcontainedwithinanendocarplayer.

Almond&Peach:RoseFamily(Rosaceae)

Thepitofapeach(Prunuspersica)showingtheseedthatiscontainedinsidethehard,woodyendocarplayer.The
endocarpistheinnerlayerofthefruitwallorpericarp.Itissurroundedbyafleshymesocarpandathinouterskinor
exocarp.Fruitswithadistinctendocarplayersurroundingtheseedarecalleddrupes.Theendocarpprotectsandaidsinthe
dispersalofthevulnerableseed,especiallywhenitisswallowedbyahungryherbivore.

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Thefresh,greenishfruitofanalmond(Prunusamygdalus)containsthefamiliaroneseededendocarp(unshelledalmond)
thatiscommonlysoldinsupermarketsduringtheholidayseason.Eachhardshelledendocarpcontainsasingleseed.

Otherexamplesofdrupesincludedatepalmnuts(Phoenixdactylifera)andpistachionuts(Pistaciavera).Thereisstill
considerabledisagreementandcontroversyovertheclassificationofsomeofthesesocallednuts,particularlyEnglishwalnuts
(Juglansregia),blackwalnuts(J.nigra),andmacadamianuts(Macadamiaintegrifolia&M.tetraphylla).Botanistshavedevised
allsortsofingeniousnamesforthese"borderlinenuts,"suchasdrydrupe,drupelike,drupaceous,drupaceousnut,andnuttydrupe.
Somereadersmaythinktheauthorofthisessayhasbeendriventoamentalconditionwiththesamespellingasthepluralofnut.

Mango,Pistachio&GumMastic:SumacFamily(Anacardiaceae)

Themango(Mangiferaindica)isadrupewithanouterleatheryskin(exocarp),afleshymesocarpandahard,stony
endocarp(pit)surroundingthelargeseed.Waveworn,sunbleachedendocarpsoftenwashashoreontropicalbeaches,
probablythrownoverboardfromshipsandboatsatsea.

Pistachio(Pistaciavera),adioecioustreeinthesumacfamily(Anacardiaceae).ItisnativetotheeasternMediterranean
regionandcentralAsiawhereithasbeencultivatedforover3,000years.Likethealmond,thefruitisdrupaceouswitha
fleshy,greenishouterlayer(exocarpandmesocarp)surroundingthehard,seedbearingshellorendocarp.Theseedhasa
paperyseedcoatandtwogreenishcotyledons.Commercialpictachio"nuts"aresplit,seedbearingendocarpswiththe
surrounding,fleshyfruitwallremoved.Theroasted,salted,greenishseedsareeatenrawandarethedelectableingredientin
icecreams,cakesandnougatcandies.AnotherspeciescalledChinesepistache(P.chinensis)iscommonlycultivatedin
southernCaliforniaforitsbeautifulreddishautumnfoliage.

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UnlikeotherspeciesofPistacia,theendocarpsofediblepistachios(Pistaciavera),naturallysplitopenatmaturity.Thisisa
verydesirablecharacteristicforpistachiogrowersbecausethedeliciousseedscaneasilyberemovedfromtheshellhowever,
sometreesproducemanyendocarpsthatdon'tsplit.Thereareseveralhypothesesconcerning"shellsplitting,"includingharvest
time,irrigation,Boronnutrition,dormantpruning,andparentalgenotypes.ThisphenomenisdiscussedbyV.S.PolitoandK.
Pinney(1999):"EndocarpDehiscenceinPitachio(PistaciaveraL.)"Int.J.PlantSci.Vol.160(5):827835.Accordingto
PolitoandPinney,endocarpsplittingalsoinvolvesforcesexertedbytheenlargementofthekernel(seed)andapicaldehiscence
bycellseparation.

Chinesepistache(Pistaciachinensis),adioecioustreeinthesumacfamily(Anacardiaceae).NativetoChina,Taiwanand
thePhilippineIslands,itisgrowninsouthernCaliforniaforitscolorfulcompound(evenpinnate)leavesduringtheautumn
monthsanditsbrightred"berries."Thered"berries"areactuallysmall,oneseededdrupeswhicharenotedible.Arelated
speciesfromtheeasternMediterraneanregion(P.lentiscus)isthesourceof"gum"mastic,anoleoresinusedinperfumes,
chewinggums,pharmaceuticals,dentaladhesives,andinhighgradevarnishesforprotectingpictures.Masticisoneofthe
oldestknownhighgraderesinsutilizedbypeople,anditisextensivelycultivatedontheGreekislandofChios.

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Chinesepistache(Pistaciachinensis)photographedinNovemberattheSanDiegoWildAnimalPark.Thistreeproduces
someofthemostspectacularredautumnfoliageofanyspeciesinsouthernCalifornia.Infact,thefallcolorationis
reminiscentofdeciduoustreesoftheeasternUnitedStates.

Gummasticor"ChiosTears,"rawresinglobulesfromthemastictree(Pistacialentiscus).Masticisoneoftheoldest
knownhighgraderesinsutilizedbypeople,anditisextensivelycultivatedontheGreekislandofChios.Masticresin
(technicallyanoleoresin)isusedinperfumes,chewinggums,pharmaceuticals,inhighgradevarnishesforprotecting
pictures,andinadhesivesfordentalcaps.

Anantentombedinaresinglobulefromthemastictree(Pistacialentiscus).Theinsectbearingresinsofsometrees
becomeburiedinthesoilandgraduallypolymerizeintoamber.

SeeWayne'sWordArticleAboutAmber

MiscellaneousNutsInDifferentPlantFamilies

Thefruitofkukuinutorcandlenut(Aleuritesmolucanna)isusuallyclassifiedasadrupeordrupaceousnut,buttheactual"nut"
isreallyawoody,thickwalledseed,typicallyoneortwoinsideeachfruit.AccordingtoSpjut(1994),thekukuinutfruitisa"bacca"
orberrylikefruit:Anindehiscentsimplefruitcontainingoneormoreseedsembeddedinasolid,fleshymasssupportedbyepicarp
lessthan2mmthick,thepericarpnotdifferentiatedinternallybyahardenedendocarporairspace.Thetungoilfruit(A.fordii)
appearstohaveadefinitehardendocarp,soIamreluctanttocallitabacca.Goatnutsorjojobaareconsideredtobeseedswithina
dehiscentcapsule.Brazilnuts(Bertholletiaexcelsa)arealsoseedsproducedinathickwalledcapsule.Thecashewnut
(Anacardiumoccidentale)isathickshelled,seedbearingdrupeproducedatthesummitofafleshystalk(pedicel)calledacashew
apple.AccordingtoSpjut(1994),thecashewfruitiscalleda"glans"andissimilartoanacorn:Anindehiscentfruitcomposedofa
pericarpsubtendedorenclosedbyafruitingcupulate(arillike)involucrethatisderivedfromaswellingofbracts,receptacleor
perianth.Pinenutsandpignolianutsareseedsproducedinwoodyconesfromseveralspeciesofpines,includingthepinyonpines
(Pinusmonophylla&P.edulis),andtheItalianstonepine(P.pinea).Thepeanut(Arachishypogea)isactuallyaseedwitha
paperyseedcoat,typicallytwoseedsenclosedinadehiscentpodcalledalegume.Afterfertilization,theflowerstalkofthepeanut
curvesdownward,andthedevelopingfruit(legume)isforcedintothegroundbytheproliferationandelongationofcellsunderthe
ovary.Thepeanutpodsubsequentlydevelopsunderground.Ivorynutsareseedsfromtheivorynutpalm(Phytelephas
aequatorialis).IvorynutpalmshaveanextensivedistributionalongbanksoftropicalAmericanrivers,fromPanamaandColombia
toPeru.TheyaremostabundantintheAmazonBasinofBolivia,EcuadorandPeru.Femalepalmsbearclustersoflarge,brown
fruits,thesizeofgrapefruitsormelons.Eachfruitisstuddedwithnumerouswoody,pointedhornsandcontainsfourormorelarge
seeds.Theseedsarethesourceofvegetableivory,ahard,naturalmaterialusedasasubstituteforelephanttusks.

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AHawaiiankukuinutnecklace,madefromthepolished,thickshelled"nuts"(seeds)ofthecandlenuttree(Aleurites
molucanna).Thegreenfruitiscutopentoshowthebrown,thickwalledseed.Thefruitsuperficiallyresemblesagreen
walnuthowever,thewalnutistechnicallya"pseudodrupe."AccordingtoSpjut(1994),thekukuinutfruitisa"bacca"
orberrylikefruit.Severalrough,woody"nuts"(seeds)areshownbeforepolishing.

Thecandlenuttree(Aleuritesmolucanna).

Cashewtree(Anacardiumoccidentale).Left:Acashew"nut"attachedtoitsswollenstalk(pedicel).Theshellofthe
"nut"containsthepoisonoakallergenurushiol,andmaycausedermatitisinhypersensitivepeople.Right:Thefleshy
"apple"istheswollenstalk(pedicel)towhichtheoneseeded"nut"isattached.The"nut"isdescribedasadrydrupein
mostreferences.Somebotanistsprefernottocommitthemselvesandcallthecashewfruitadrupaceousnut.According
toSpjut(1994),itisanacornlikefruitcalleda"glans."

SeeVegetableIvory:SavingElephants&TheRainForest

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AnotherinterestingMalaysian"nut"thatisactuallyaseediscalled"buahkeluak"or"kluwaknut"(alsospelledkloowak).Kluwak
nutscomefromthekepayangtree(Pangiumedule)ofIndonesia&Malaysia,amemberoftheflacourtiafamily(Flacourtiaceae).
Theoily,hardshelledseedssuperficiallyresembleBrazilnuts.Meatyseedsareedibleafterthepoisonoushydrocyanicacidis
removedbysoakingandboilingtheminwater.Fermentedkluwaknutsbecomechocolatebrown,greasyandveryslippery.Cooked
seedsareusedinanumberofpopularMalaysianandIndonesiandishes.

Peeledkluwaknutsfromthekepayangtree(Pangiumedule).Thefermentedseedsbecomechocolatebrown,greasyand
slippery.CookedseedsareusedinanumberofpopularMalaysianandIndonesiandishes.

Oak&Chestnut:BeechFamily(Fagaceae)

Thetruenutofanacornsitsinacupshapedinvolucrecomposedofnumerousoverlappingscales.Theseacornsare
fromthecorkoak(Quercussuber),thebarkofwhichisthesourceofnaturalcork.AccordingtoSpjut(1994),the
acornfruitiscalleda"glans."

Thetruenutsofthechestnut(Castaneadentata)areproducedinaspiny,cupshapedinvolucre.

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TwoangularnutsofAmericanbeech(Fagusgrandifolia)withinaspinybractedinvolucre.Thethreesidednuts
resembletheminiatureoneseededfruits(achenes)ofbuckwheat(Fagopyrumesculentum).Thisresemblanceledto
theGermanname"buchweizen"(beechwheat)whichbecamecorruptedtothepresentnameofbuckwheat.

Oneseededachenesofbuckwheat(Fagopyrumesculentum),animportantcropplantnativetocentralAsia.The
threesidedachenesresembleminiaturenutsfromthebeechtree(Fagus).ThisresemblanceledtotheGermanname
"buchweizen"(beechwheat)whichbecamecorruptedtothepresentnameofbuckwheat.Thehulledachenesorgroats
areusedinseveralbrandsofhotandcoldbreakfastcereals.Theseedsaregroundintoflourwhichisusedforpancakes,
noodlesandbreads.InRussia,anutritiousporridgecalled"kasha"ismadefrombuckwheatflour.

Filbert:BirchFamily(Betulaceae)

TheAmericanfilbertoftheeasternUnitedStates(Corylusamericana)producesatruenutenclosedinaninvolucreof
leafybracts.InthecloselyrelatedspeciesofthePacificnorthwesternUnitedStatesC.cornuta,thenutisproducedinan
elongate,tubularinvolucre.AccordingtoSpjut(1994),fruitsofthegenusCorylusaretechnicallycalleda"diclesium."The
latterfruitisdefinedas:Asimplefruitconsistingofadryorfleshypericarpiumcoveredinpartorentirelybyloose
(utricular)totightlyadhering(achenelike),dry,accrescent,indehiscent,fruitingperianth.

ThenativefilbertofthePacificnorthwesternUnitedStates(Coryluscornuta)producesatruenutenclosedinanelongate,
tubularinvolucre.Inthisphotothetubularinvolucrehasbeensectionedlengthwisetoexposethehardshellednutinside.
Thisfruitisa"diclesium"accordingtoSpjut(1994).

SeeAnUnusualFilbertRubberTreeHybrid
WaterChestnut(WaterCaltrop)FromAsia

Coconut&Date:PalmFamily(Arecaceae)

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Thefruitofthecoconut(Cocosnucifera)istechnicallyadrydrupecomposedofathinouterlayer(exocarp),athick,
fibrousmiddlelayer(mesocarp),andahardinnerlayer(endocarp)surroundingalargeseed.Theendocarp(upperleft)
containsgerminationporesatoneend,oneofwhichthesproutingcoconutpalmgrowsthrough.The"meat"(uppermiddle)
oftheseedisendospermtissueandasmall,cylindricalembryoisembeddedinthisnutritivetissue."Coconutwater"(upper
right)isliquidendospermthathasnotdevelopedintosolidtissuecomposedofcells.Copracomesfromthemeatofdried
coconuts,whilecoirfibersarederivedfromthefibrousmesocarp.AccordingtoSpjut(1994),thecoconutistechnicallya
"nuculanium."

SproutingfruitofacoconutCocosnucifera.Thehardinnerlayer(endocarp)containstheactualseedcomposedofaminute
embryoandfoodstoragetissue(endosperm).Thebaseoftheembryo(cotyledon)swellsintoanabsorbingorganthatfillsthe
entirecavityoftheseedasitdigeststheendosperm.Theendocarphasthreegerminationpores,onefunctionalporeandtwo
pluggedpores.[In"blindcoconuts"allthreeporesareplugged.]Thethreeporesrepresentthreecarpels,typicalofthepalm
family(Arecaceae).Justinsidethefunctionalgerminationporeisaminuteembryoembeddedintheendospermtissue.During
germination,aspongymassdevelopsfromthebaseoftheembryoandfillstheseedcavity.Thismassoftissueiscalledthe
"coconutapple"andisessentiallythefunctionalcotyledonoftheseed.[Thewhitecolorhasbeenalteredinordertoclearly
differentiateitfromtheendosperm.]Itdissolvesandabsorbsthenutrientrichendospermtissuetosupplythedevelopingshoot
withsugarsandminerals.Eventualy,thedevelopingpalmbecomesselfsufficient,asitsleavesproducesugarsthrough
photosynthesisanditsrootsabsorbmineralsfromthesoil.Thecoconut"apple"isrichinsugarsandisasweetdelicacyin
tropicalcountries.Theendospermisthecoconut"meat"whichisdriedandsoldas"copra."Thecoconut"water"is
multinucleateliquidendosperminsidegreencoconutsthathasnotdevelopedintosolidtissuecomposedofcells.Beforethe
liquidendospermformsasolid"meat"itisjellylikeandmaybeeatenwithaspoon.Thisstageoftheendospermdevelopment
iscalled"spoonmeat."The"coconutmilk"usedinmanyAsianrecipesismadebysoakinggratedcoconutmeatinwaterand
squeezingouttheoilrichliquid."Coir"fibersarederivedfromthefibrousmesocarp.Thesaturatedfatcalled"coconutoil"is
derivedfromthemeatyendosperm.

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Closeupviewthroughtheinsideofacoconutseedshowingasmall,cylindricalembryo(A)embeddedinthefleshymeat
orendosperm(B).Thebaseoftheembryo(pointingintothecoconut)swellsintoanabsorbingorgan(cotyledon)thatfills
theentirecavityoftheseedasitdigeststheendosperm.Thewalloftheendocarp(C)isahard,woodylayerthatmakesup
theinnerpartofthefruitwall.Thethick,fibroushusk(mesocarp)thatsurroundstheendocarphasbeenremoved.The
coconut"pearl"apparentlydevelopswheretheembryoislocated.

ReadAboutOceanDispersalOfCoconuts
SeeTheRemarkableEmbryoOfACoconut
ReadAboutCoconutsAndTheCoconutCrab

Left:Unripe,seedless,unpollinatedfruitsofthedatepalm(Phoenixdactylifera)fromafemaletreeinCoastalSanDiego
county.Right:Pollinated,dried,MedjooldatesfromCoachellaValley,California.Datesaretechnicallyreferredtoas
drupesbecausetheouterfleshytissueispartofthepericarp.Theinner,hardendocarplayer(pit)enclosestheseed.The
datepalmisadioeciousspecies,likewillows,cottonwoods,marijuanaandpeople.Sincethefruitsoccuronseparate
femaletrees,theymustbepollinatedbymaletreesinordertomatureintosweet,deliciousdates.

ReadAboutTheAmazingDatePalm

Walnut&Pecan:WalnutFamily(Juglandaceae)

Note:Manybotanistssaythatthehuskofpecansandwalnuts
containstissuefromtheouterpericarp,andinsistonreferring
tothesedryfruitsas"drupaceousnuts"ratherthantruenuts.

Accordingto"TheMorphologyoftheFlowersoftheJuglandaceae"byW.E.Manning(1940),AmericanJournalofBotany
27(10):839852,thefruitsofJuglansandCaryaaredrupelikebutnotadrupeordrydrupe.Thefruitissometimescalled
a"tryma"butcanbedescribedasanut.Webster'sThirdNewInternationalDictionarydescribesatrymaasanutlikedrupe
(asthefruitofthewalnutorhickory)inwhichtheepicarpandmesocarpseparateasasomewhatfleshyorleatheryrind
fromthehard2valvedendocarp.Thetrymaisalsodefinedasadrupewithadehiscenthusk,whichfitsthegenusCarya
perfectly.RichardSpjut(1994)describesthefruitofawalnut(Juglans)as"pseudodrupe"andthefruitofapecan(Carya)
asa"tryma."

Englishwalnut(Juglansregia).InthetextbookBotany:AnIntroductiontoPlantBiologybyT.E.Weier,C.R.Stocking,M.G.
BarbourandT.L.Rost(1982),thewalnutisclassifiedasanut.Accordingtotheseauthors,thegreenhuskorshuckofthe
walnutiscomposedofinvolucralbracts,perianth(calyx)tissue,andtheouterlayerofthepericarp.Thehardshellsurrounding
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theseedistheinnerlayerofthepericarp.Intruenuts,thehard,indehiscentlayersurroundingtheseedistheripenedovarywall
orpericarp.Inoaksandchestnutsofthebeechfamily(Fagaceae),thenutsitsinacuplikeorspinyinvolucrecomposedof
involucraltissue(orfusedcalyxtissue)thatisnotpartoftheovarywall(pericarp).Thewalnutdoesnotexactlyfitthe
definitionofatruenutbecausethehardshellisfromtheinnerpericarpandnottheentireovarywall.Unlikethecloselyrelated
pecan(Carya),thehuskdoesnotsplitintofoursectionsandactuallyresemblestheouterfleshypericarpofadrupe.According
tomostbotanicalreferences,theoutergreenlayerorhuskofawalnutispartofthepericarpandthehardshellsurroundingthe
seedistheendocarplayerasincoconuts.Therefore,walnutsandcloselyrelatedpecansprobablyfitthedrydrupecategory
ratherthanatruenut.However,ifthewalnuthuskcontainstissuefrominvolucralbracts,perianth(calyx),andtheouter
pericarp,itdoesn'texactlyfitthedefinitionofadrupe.Someauthorseloquentlyavoidthisdilemmabycallingthesefruits
drupelikeor"drupaceousnuts."RichardSpjutdescribesthewalnutfruitasa"pseudodrupe"whichinmyopinionisthebest
name.Thethinskinsurroundingthekernel(seed)ofwalnutsandothernutmeatsiscalledthepellicleorseedcoat.

Blackwalnut(Juglansnigra),adeciduoushardwoodtreenativetotheeasternandcentralUnitedStates.A.Maturedry
fruitcontainingoutergreenhusk.B.Hard(woody)innerlayersurroundingtheseed.Thisiswhatsomebotanistscall
theactual"nut."C.Sectionalviewshowingcotyledonsofinnerseedandoutergreenhusk(redarrow).

ACaliforniablackwalnut(Juglanscalifornica)andtheunusualsmallfruitedwalnut(J.microcarpa)nativetodesert
streambedsandcanyonsofthesouthwesternUnitedStates.Walnutsarecallednutsordrydrupes,dependingonhowyou
definethefleshyhusktissuesurroundingtheseedbearing"nut."Ifyouconsiderthehusktobepartoftheovarywall
(pericarp),thenwalnutswouldfitthedrydrupecategory.Somebotanistsrefertowalnutsas"drupaceousnuts."Richard
Spjutusestheterm"pseudodrupe."

Pecan(Caryaillinoensis):Thegreen,fleshyouterhuskorshucksplitsinto4valves,exposingasinglelarge,oneseeded"nut"
surroundedbyathick,woodypericarp.Iftheouterhuskiscomposedofcalyxtissueandisnotpartofthepericarpwall,thenit
fitsthedescriptionofanuthowever,somebotanistssaythatthehuskcontainstissuefromtheouterpericarp.Inthewalnutand
butternut(Juglans),alsomembersoftheJuglandaceae,thehuskdoesnotsplitintosectionsandactuallyresemblestheouter
fleshypericarpofadrupe.Intruenuts,thehard,indehiscentlayersurroundingtheseedistheripenedovarywallorpericarp
andtheouterhuskiscomposedofinvolucralorcalyxtissuethatisnotpartoftheovarywallorpericarp.The"tryma"isafruit
typedefinedasdrupewithadehiscenthusk,whichfitsthepecanperfectly.RichardSpjutalsousesthisterminhistechnical
descriptionofthepecanfruit.The"hican"isaCaryahybridresultingfromacrossbetweenthepecan(C.illinoensis)andthe
shagbarkhickory(C.ovata).

WaterCaltrop:Trapabicornis(Trapaceae)

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Thisbizarrehornyfruithastwoprominent,downcurvedhornsandsuperficiallyresemblestheheadofabull.Thefruitbodyhasa
woody,sculpturedsurfacethatresemblesaface.Tosomepeople,theentirestructureresemblesabat.ItcomesfromanAsianaquatic
plantoftencalled"watercaltrop"(Trapabicornis).Itissometimescalledwaterchestnuthowever,thisnottobeconfusedwiththe
crunchy,tuberousrootsofavegetablecalledwaterchestnut(Eleocharisdulcis)commonlyservedinChineserestaurants.Other
commonnamesforthisplantincludeChinesehornnutand"lingkio"or"lingchio."Itbelongstothewatercaltropfamily
(Trapaceae)andincludesthesinglegenus(Trapa)withseveralcloselyrelatedspecies.ThegenericnameTrapaisderivedfrom
calcitrappa,Latinnameofthecaltrop,inreferencetothepeculiar,hornedfruits.Duringmedievaltimes,aviciousweaponcalleda
caltropwasusedinEuropeanwarfare.Thiswasanirondevicewithfourpointssodesignedthatonewasalwaysfacingupward,
whicheverwayitlanded,toimpalethehoovesofenemycavalryhorses.AsimilardevicewasalsousedinWorldWarIItodestroy
trucktiresonenemysupplyconvoys.Actually,thewidespreadandmorecommonlyknownwatercaltrop(Trapanatans)hasafour
prongedfruitthatmorecloselyresemblesthecaltrop.Thefruitsofpuncturevinealsoresembleacaltrop,especiallywhenthey
impaleyourbicycletires.Infact,thisubiquitousweedbelongstoanotherunrelatedplantfamilycalledthecaltropfamily
(Zygophyllaceae).

Watercaltropplantsareanchoredtothebottomoflakesandponds,andsendtothesurfaceaslenderstemwitharosetteof
floatingleaves.Likewaterhyacinths,theleafstalksareinflatedwithairandareverybuoyant.Solitaryflowersareproducedinthe
leafaxilsfollowedbythestrangehornyfruits.Underthetoughouterwall,thefruitcontainsapulpyseedrichinstarch.Thefruits
canberoastedorboiledliketruechestnutsoftheeasternUnitedStates.Theyaredelicioussauteedwithriceandvegetables.
AccordingtoJoyLarkcom("OrientalVegetables,"1991),theycontaintoxinsandshouldnotbeeatenraw.Seedsofsomespecies
arepreservedinhoneyandsugar,candied,orgroundintoflourformakingbread.InItalyTrapanatansisthemainingredientofa
famousrisotto(ricecookedinmeatstockwithshallotsandbutter).Theunusual,bullheadpodsofTrapabicornissometimesfloat
downriversandintotheoceanwheretheyoccasionallydriftashoreonAsianbeaches.Localpeoplemakeingeniousnecklacesfrom
thepodsandsellthemtotourists.Withabackingattachedtoyourlapel,theyactuallymakeanicelittleemblemtowearonspecial
occasions,oranattractiveslideforabolotie.

AccordingtoRichardW.Spjut("ASystematicTreatmentofFruitTypes,"MemoirsoftheNewYorkBotanicalGardenVolume70,
1994),thefruitsofTrapaareclassifiedaspseudodrupes."Theyareindehiscentwithathin,evanescent,fleshyexocarpanda
persistent,stonyendocarp.TheEnglishwalnut(Juglansregia)italsoclassifiedasapseudodrupe(seeabove).RichardSpjutalso
citesanothercomplicateddescriptionofthefruit:"ThesocalledstoneofTrapa(Trapaceae)includespartoftheexocarpsincethe
sepaloidhornsarealsohardened(Wildenow,1811).Ifthepericarpitselfisdifferentiatedintosoftandhardened(stone)layers,
excludingtheexocarp,thefruitisthenapome."

MacadamiaNut:ProteaFamily(Proteaceae)

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Macadamianuts(Macadamiaintegrifolia)aredrydrupescontainingaveryhardseedbearingendocarp.Accordingto
mostbotanicalreferences,theouterhuskrepresentspartoftheovarywallorpericarp.However,accordingtotheThe
MacadamiaNutinCalifornia(1978),publishedbytheCaliforniaMacadamiaSociety,thefruitisafollicleconsistingofa
singleseed(sometimes2)inahuskwhichusuallysplitsopenatmaturity.Technically,afollicleiscomposedofasingle
carpelthatsplitsopenalongoneseam.Iftheouterhuskrepresentsonecarpel,thenthemacadamianutisindeedafollicle.I
havefluctuatedontheclassificationofthemacadamiafruitforyears,butatthistimeIamleaningtowardafolliclerather
thanadrupe.Thefollowingtwoimagesmayshedsomelightonthiscontoversy.

Animmaturemacadamianut(Macadamiaintegrifolia)releasedfromitsouterdehiscenthusk(pericarp).Theseed
showsadistinctattachmentscar(hilum)whereitwasjoinedtotheplacentalregionontheinnerovarywall(pericarp).
Inamatureseed,theattachmentscariscoveredoverbythethick,woodyseedcoat.Iftheouterpericarprepresentsa
singlecarpel,thenthisfruitisindeedafollicleratherthanadrupe.

Amaturemacadamianut(Macadamiaintregrifolia)showingthethick,woodyseedcoatandwhiteseed.Thewhite,
micropyleregionoftheseedextendsthroughthewoodywallandisvisibleasawhitedotontheexterior.Inatrue
drupe,therewouldbenoextensionoftheseedormicropylethroughthewoodyendocarpwall.

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Twoviewsofamaturemacadamiaseed(Macadamiaintegrifolia).Theleftviewshowsthehilumwheretheseedwas
attachedtotheinnerovary(pericarp)wall.Therightviewshowsawhitedotthatrepresentsthemicropyleregionwhere
thepollentubeenteredtheovulewall(integumentlayer)priortodoublefertilization.

AHawaiianmacadamianutnecklacemadefromthewoodyseedsofMacadamiaintegrifolia.Polishedmacadamia
nutsaretypicallyblondorlightbrown,comparedwithglossy,darkbrownorblackkukuinutnecklaces.

GoToArticleAboutHawaiianKukuiNuts

Peanut:LegumeFamily(Fabaceae)

Apeanutplant(Arachishypogaea)thathasbeenpulledoutofthegroundtoshowthesubterranean,seedbearing,dryfruit
(calledapod).Afterfertilization,theflowerstalk(pedicel)ofthepeanutcurvesdownward,andthedevelopingfruit
(legume)isforcedintothegroundbytheproliferationandelongationofcellsundertheovary.Thepeanutpodsubsequently
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developsunderground.Asinothermembersoftheenormouslegumefamily(Fabaceae),therootsbearnodulescontaining
nitrogenfixingbacteria.

Thepeanut(Arachishypogea)isadehiscentlegumethatisharvestedfrombelowthesoil.Thelegumewasoriginally
formedabovegroundfollowingpollination.Afterfertilization,theflowerstalkofthepeanutcurvesdownward,andthe
developingpodisforcedintothegroundbytheproliferationandelongationofcellsundertheovary.Thepodtypically
containstwoseeds,eachwithapaperyseedcoat.Peanutseedsareeatenraw,saltedandroasted.Peanutsaregroundinto
peanutbutterandThaipeanutsauce,andtheexpressedoilisusedincooking.Peanutsarealsousedincookies,peanut
brittleandcandybars.

SeeMorePhotosofthePeanutPlant

Buckeye:HorseChestnutFamily(Hippocastanaceae)

Some"nuts"areactuallylarge,hardshelledseedsproducedinsideadehiscentcapsulethatsplitsopenintosectionscalledvalvesor
carpels.Thebuckeye(Aesculus)isagoodexampleofthiskindofnutlikeseed.Thereareseveralspeciesofbuckeye,includingthe
Californiabuckeye(A.californica),Ohiobuckeye(A.glabra),andtheEuropeanhorsechestnut(A.hippocastanum),allmembers
ofthehorsechestnutfamily(Hippocastanaceae).AnotherhardshelledseedcalledTexasbuckeye(Ungnadiaspeciosa),belongsto
theinterestingsoapberryfamily(Sapindaceae).

TheoutercapsulewalloftheEuropeanhorsechestnut(Aesculushippocastanum)iscoveredwithstoutspines.Theyarecollected
inautumnandthelargeseedsareremovedfromthespinycasingandallowedtodry.InEngland,thedried,hardshelledseedsare
usedinacuriouschildren'sgamecalled"conkers."Aholeisdrilledthroughtheseed(calledaconker)andastringinthreaded
throughthehole.Thegameisplayedbetweentwoopponents,eachwithoneconker.Oneplayerdanglestheirconkerbythestring,
holdingitsteady,whiletheopponentswingstheirconkeronitsstringandattemptstostrikethedanglingconker.Playerstaketurns
untiloneconkerissobadlydamagedthatitdislodgedfromitsstring.Thewinneristheplayerwiththeintactconker.Seriousconker
playerstrytohardentheshell(seedcoat)oftheirconkerbydryingtechniquesandvariousprotectivefinishes.InAustralia,asimilar
gameiscalled"bullies."Oneofthechoiceseedsusedforthisgamecomesfromthefruitofthequandongtree(Eucaryaacuminata),
amemberofthesandalwoodfamily(Santalaceae).LiketheHawaiiansandalwood(Santalum),thistreeisarootparasiteonanearby
hostplant.

Left:Californiabuckeye(Aesculuscalifornica),amemberofthehorsechestnutfamily(Hippocastanaceae).Right:Texas
buckeye(Ungnadiaspeciosa),amemberofthesoapberryfamily(Sapindaceae).The"nuts"ofthesespeciesareactually
hardshelledseedsproducedindehiscentcapsulesthatsplitopenatmaturity.

SeeBrazilNutsInTheirCapsule
SeeTheHawaiianSandalwoodTree
SeeFruitsOfTheSoapberryFamily

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Alltextmaterial&imagesonthesepagescopyrightW.P.Armstrong

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