Which of these is a simple dehiscent fruit?

Step 1: Analyze the question We need a simple fruit (formed from one ovary of a single flower) that is dehiscent, meaning it splits open at maturity to release its seeds.

Step 2: Explain the concepts

• Simple fruits come from a single flower with one carpel or several fused carpels.
• Dehiscent fruits split open naturally. Examples are legumes, capsules, follicles and siliquae.
• Indehiscent fruits do not split open. Examples are achenes, cypselas, nuts, samaras, caryopses and drupes.

Step 3: Check each option

• A. Achene: A small, dry, one-seeded fruit that does not split open, so it is indehiscent.
• B. Cypsela: An achene-like fruit from the daisy family (e.g. sunflower, Tridax). It is indehiscent.
• C. Legume: A pod from a single carpel (e.g. beans, groundnut pods, flamboyant) that splits along two sides when mature. It is simple and dehiscent.
• D. Nut: A hard-walled, one-seeded fruit (e.g. cashew nut, kola) that is indehiscent.
• E. Samara: A winged, dry fruit (e.g. Terminalia, Mahogany/Khaya) dispersed by wind. It is indehiscent.

Step 4: Answer Only the legume is a simple dehiscent fruit, so the answer is C.

Exam tip: Remember that dehiscent fruits "burst open", such as legume, capsule, follicle and siliqua. The dry indehiscent ones (achene, cypsela, nut, samara, caryopsis) stay closed. A good memory aid is "Legumes Let seeds out".