Achenial (Adjective)
Meaning
Pertaining to dry one-seeded indehiscent fruit.
Classification
Relational adjectives (pertainyms).
Examples
- The achenial fruit of the dandelion is commonly known as a puffball due to the way its seeds disperse in the wind.
- Achenial fruits, like those found in the sunflower, have evolved to provide protection for the single seed inside.
- In some species, the achenial fruits have a unique morphology, with different adaptations for dispersal.
- Certain plants, including lettuce and chicory, produce small achenial fruits that are usually wind-dispersed.
- An achenial fruit, such as a sunflower seed or a lettuce seed, typically consists of a single seed enclosed within a hard outer shell that does not split open.