1. Berry: Entire pericarp is fleshy, although skin is sometimes tough; may be one or many seeded. E.g. grape, tomato, papaya, pomegranate, sapote, persimmon, guava, banana and avocado. The latter two fruits are often termed baccate (berry-like). The banana fruit is a seedless, parthenocarpic berry developing without pollination and fertilization. In the pomegranate, the edible part is the fleshy layer (aril) around each seed. For photos of many of these berries, look them up by their common name in the Wayne's Word Index. According to Spjut (1994), the pepo is not limited to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). The papaya (Carica) is a pepo because of its thick outer rind. He also considers the banana (Musa) to be pepo. The pomegranate has a persistant calyx and endocarp reminiscent of a pome, and membranous partitions, juicy seed vesicles, and a leathery exocarp similar to a hesperidium. Spjut classifies the pomegranate as a "balusta." Berry-like fruits, such as the avocado (Persea) and kiwi (Actinidia) are called a "bacca." Unusual Fruit Of The Pomegranate

See Papaya Fruit (Carica papaya) 2. Pepo: Berry with a hard, thick rind; typical fruit of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae). E.g. watermelon, cucumber, squash, cantelope and pumpkin. The Remarkable World Of Gourds 3. Hesperidium: Berry with a leathery rind and parchment-like partitions between sections; typical fruit of the citrus family (Rutaceae). E.g. orange, lemon, grapefruit, tangelo and kumquat. See Article About Hesperidiums 4. Drupe: Fleshy fruit with hard inner layer (endocarp or stone) surrounding the seed. E.g. peach, plum, nectarine, apricot, cherry, olive, mango and almond. Some botanists also include the fruits of walnuts, pecans, date palms, macadamia nuts, pistachio nuts, tung oil and kukui nuts as drupes because of their outer, green, fleshy husk and stony, seed-bearing endocarp. These latter fruits are also called drupaceous nuts. The coconut is considered a dry drupe with a green, waterproof outer layer (exocarp), a thick, buoyant, fibrous husk (mesocarp) and a hard, woody, inner layer (endocarp) surrounding the large seed. The actual seed embryo is embedded in the coconut meat (endosperm). Nutrient-rich coconut milk is liquid endosperm that has not formed firm tissue with cell walls. According to Spjut (1994), the fruit of a coconut (Cocos) is a "nucleanium." [There is considerable disagreement among authorities about the classification of some of these fruits. For example, the California Macadamia Society considers the macadamia nut to be a follicle. See section B-1 below under dry, dehiscent fruits.] Note: A number of so-called nuts are probably better placed in the drupe category. This is especially true of the walnut family (Juglandaceae), although some older references still consider these fruits to be nuts. In hickory & pecan (Carya) the outer husk or shuck splits into four valves, exposing the hard, indehiscent nut . According to many botanists, the outer husk is part of the pericarp, and the hard, inner layer surrounding the seed is the endocarp; therefore, these fruits are technically drupes or drupaceous nuts. Walnut & butternut (Juglans), two additional members of the walnut family (Juglandaceae), have similar drupe-like fruits. The outer green husk resembles the outer pericarp (exocarp and mesocarp) of a drupe. For this reason, walnuts are sometimes referred to as dry drupes, and the hard shell surrounding the seed is considered to be the endocarp layer as in coconuts. In true nuts, the hard, indehiscent layer surrounding the seed is the entire ovary wall or pericarp, and the outer husk is composed of involucral tissue that is not part of the ovary wall or pericarp. According to most botanical references, the outer green layer (husk) of the walnut is part of the pericarp and the hard shell surrounding the seed is really the endocarp. Therefore, walnuts and pecans probably fit the dry drupe category rather than a true nut. Some authors elegantly avoid this dilemma by calling these fruits drupe-like or "drupaceous nuts." According to "The Morphology of the Flowers of the Juglandaceae" by W.E. Manning (1940), American Journal of Botany 27 (10): 839-852, the fruits of Juglans and Carya are drupe-like but not a true drupe or dry drupe. The fruit is sometimes called a "tryma" but can be described as a nut. Webster's Third New International Dictionary describes a tryma as a nutlike drupe (as the fruit of the walnut or hickory) in which the epicarp (exocarp) and mesocarp separate as a somewhat fleshy or leathery rind from the hard 2-valved endocarp. According to Spjut (1994), the walnut (Juglans) is a pseudodrupe and the pecan (Carya) is a "tryma." Go To Article About Fruits Called Nuts 5. Pome: Ovary or core surrounded by edible, fleshy receptacle tissue (hypanthium or fleshy floral tube) that is really not part of the pericarp. The actual ovary or core is usually not eaten, at least by most humans. This is typical fruit of certain members of the rose family (Rosaceae), including apple, pear, quince and loquat. Go To Article About Fruits Of The Rosaceae