Caryopsis

Caryopsis

In botany, a caryopsis is a type of simple dry fruit — one that is monocarpelate (formed from a single carpel) and indehiscent (not opening at maturity) and resembles an achene, except that in a caryopsis the pericarp is fused with the thin seed coat.

The caryopsis is popularly called a grain and is the fruit typical of the family "Poaceae" (or "Gramineae"), such as wheat, rice, and corn.

The term grain is also used in a more general sense as synonymous with cereal (as in "cereal grains", which include some non-"Gramineae"). Considering that the fruit wall and the seed are intimately fused into a single unit, and the caryopsis or grain is a dry fruit, little concern is given to technically separating the terms "fruit" and "seed" in these plant structures. In many grains, the "hulls" to be separated before processing are actually flower bracts.


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  • Caryopsis — Car y*op sis, n.; pl. {Caryopses}. [NL., fr. gr. ? hut, kernel + ? sight, form.] (Bot.) A one celled, dry, indehiscent fruit, with a thin membranous pericarp, adhering closely to the seed, so that fruit and seed are incorporated in one body,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Caryopsis — (gr), Balg , Korn , Schalfrucht …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • caryopsis — [kar΄ē äp′sis] n. pl. caryopses [kar΄ē äp′sēz΄] or caryopsides [kar΄ē äp′sə dēz΄] [ModL: see CARYO & OPSIS] a small, dry, one seeded fruit in which the ovary wall remains joined with the seed in a single grain, as in barley, wheat, corn, rice,… …   English World dictionary

  • caryopsis — grūdvaisis statusas T sritis augalininkystė apibrėžtis Sausas, vienasėklis vaisius, susidaręs suaugus sėklos luobelei su plėveliniu apyvaisiu, būdingas varpiniams augalams. atitikmenys: angl. caryopsis rus. зерновка …   Žemės ūkio augalų selekcijos ir sėklininkystės terminų žodynas

  • caryopsis — noun (plural caryopses; also caryopsides) Etymology: New Latin Date: 1830 a small one seeded dry indehiscent fruit (as of Indian corn or wheat) in which the fruit and seed fuse in a single grain …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • caryopsis — /kar ee op sis/ n., pl. caryopses / seez/, caryopsides / si deez /. Bot. a small, one celled, one seeded, dry indehiscent fruit with the pericarp adherent to the seed coat, the typical fruit of grasses and grains. [1820 30; CARY(O) + OPSIS] * * * …   Universalium

  • caryopsis — noun A type of fruit in which the fruit skin is stuck to the seed coat; especially the grain of a cereal …   Wiktionary

  • caryopsis — n. dry fruit that resembles a seed produced by grasses and cereal crops …   English contemporary dictionary

  • caryopsis — [ˌkarɪ ɒpsɪs] noun (plural caryopses si:z) Botany a dry one seeded fruit in which the ovary wall is united with the seed coat, typical of grasses and cereals. Origin C19: from mod. L., from Gk karuon nut + opsis appearance …   English new terms dictionary

  • caryopsis — car·y·op·sis …   English syllables

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