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Silique

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– Definition of Silique:
– Type of fruit (seed capsule) with two fused carpels
– Length more than three times the width
– Referred to as a silicle if length is less than three times the width
– Outer walls of the ovary usually separate when ripe
– Present in many members of the mustard family

– Variants of Silique:
– Some species have silicles instead of siliques
– Indehiscent siliques do not open when ripe
– Fruits with a similar structure that do not open when ripe
– Comparison between dehiscent and indehiscent siliques
– Examples of plants with siliques and silicles

Silique in Botanical Terms:
– Described in “The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms
– Mentioned in “River and Desert Plants of the Grand Canyon”
– Educational resources for understanding botanical terms
– Importance of recognizing different fruit morphologies
– Botanical references for further study

– Related Concepts:
– Comparison with legume fruit type
Legume derived from one carpel that typically splits along two sides
– Resemblance between legume and silique
– Botanical classification of legume and silique
– Botanical distinctions between legume and silique

– External Resources:
– Link to an article on siliques in plants
– Wikimedia Commons media related to Silique
– Additional information on silique morphology
– Resource for expanding knowledge on plant morphology
– Access to further botanical studies on siliques

Silique (Wikipedia)

A silique or siliqua (plural siliques or siliquae) is a type of fruit (seed capsule) having two fused carpels with the length being more than three times the width. When the length is less than three times the width of the dried fruit it is referred to as a silicle. The outer walls of the ovary (the valves) usually separate when ripe, then being named dehiscent, and leaving a persistent partition (the replum). Siliques are present in many members of the mustard family, Brassicaceae, but some species have silicles instead. Some species closely related to plants with true siliques have fruits with a similar structure that do not open when ripe; these are usually called indehiscent siliques (compare dehiscence).

Siliquae of Cardamine impatiens
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