What is the Difference Between Dehiscent and Indehiscent Fruits?

The main difference between dehiscent and indehiscent fruits lies in the way they release their seeds upon maturity.

Dehiscent fruits are those that naturally split open at maturity to release their seeds. They have a weak line on one or both sides, where the fruit splits open. There are three primary types of dehiscent fruits:

1. Follicle: A dry dehiscent fruit formed from one carpel that opens only on one side, such as peony and milkweed.
2. Legume: A dry dehiscent fruit formed from one carpel that opens on both sides, such as beans and peas.
3. Capsule: A dry dehiscent fruit formed from several carpels, such as orchids.

Indehiscent fruits are those that do not open upon maturity and lack a natural line of weakness to split apart. They depend on decomposition or predation for seed dispersal. There are five primary types of indehiscent fruits:

1. Achene: A one-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruit, such as buttercups, dandelion, and sunflower.
2. Nut: A dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit with a thickened and hardened wall, such as beech, chestnut, oak, hazel, walnut, and hickory.
3. Samara: A one- or two-seeded dry, indehiscent fruit, such as elm, maple, and ash.
4. Grain: A one-seeded dry, indehiscent fruit in which the fruit wall and the seed coat are fused, such as wheat, corn, and grasses.
5. Schizocarp: A fruit formed from several carpels, each carpel enclosing a single ovule, and at maturity, the carpels separate as separate indehiscent fruits, such as mallow.

In summary, dehiscent fruits naturally split open to release their seeds, while indehiscent fruits do not open upon maturity and depend on other factors, such as decomposition or predation, for seed dispersal.

Comparative Table: Dehiscent vs Indehiscent Fruits

Here is a table comparing dehiscent and indehiscent fruits:

Examples of dehiscent fruits include peony, milkweed, beans, peas, and orchid. Examples of indehiscent fruits include sunflowers and dandelions.