Schizocarp



A schizocarp is a dry fruit that, when mature, splits up into mericarps.

There are different definitions:


 * Any dry fruit composed of multiple carpels that separate.


 * Under this definition the mericarps can contain one or more seeds (the mericarps of Abutilon have two or more seeds ) and each mericarp can be either:
 * Indehiscent (remaining closed), such as in the carrot and other Umbelliferae or in members of the genus Malva, or
 * Dehiscent (splitting open to release the seed), for example members of the genus Geranium. This is similar to what happens with a capsule, but with an extra stage. (In Abutilon, the mericarp is sometimes only partially dehiscent and does not release the seed.)


 * Any fruit that separates into indehiscent one-seeded segments, such as a loment, Malva, Malvastrum, and Sida.