The following are classes of dry indehiscent fruits EXCEPT

Analyze the question: We need the one option that is NOT a dry indehiscent fruit. Indehiscent means the fruit does not split open at maturity to release its seeds.

Concept: Classes of dry fruits

1. Dry indehiscent (do not split open): • Achene: single-seeded, with the seed free from the fruit wall (e.g. clematis, sunflower-type fruits). • Caryopsis (grain): the fruit wall is fused to the seed coat (e.g. maize, rice, wheat). • Cypsela: a one-seeded fruit from an inferior ovary, found in the Compositae/Asteraceae (e.g. Tridax, sunflower). • Nuts and samaras also belong here.

2. Dry dehiscent (split open to release seeds): • Follicle: develops from a single carpel and splits along one side only (e.g. Calotropis, Delonix in some descriptions). • Legume (pod), capsule, and siliqua.

3. Schizocarpic fruits (split into one-seeded parts): • Schizocarp splits into single-seeded units (mericarps) that are themselves indehiscent. Examples are carrot-family fruits (cremocarp) and Desmodium (lomentum). In standard Nigerian textbooks, schizocarps are grouped with the dry indehiscent fruits, because the separate segments don't open to release seeds.

Working through the options:

• A. Achene: dry indehiscent ✔
• B. Caryopsis: dry indehiscent ✔
• C. Cypsela: dry indehiscent ✔
• D. Follicle: dry dehiscent, because it splits along one suture to release seeds ✘
• E. Schizocarp: breaks into indehiscent one-seeded parts, so it is counted with the indehiscent group ✔

Answer: D. Follicle

Exam tip: Remember the dehiscent group as "L-C-S-F": Legume, Capsule, Siliqua, Follicle. These all split open. Anything else, such as grains, achenes, nuts, and cypselas, is indehiscent.