Dry fruit is a category of
botanical fruits where the
pericarp becomes dry at maturity, as opposed to
fleshy fruit which has succulent tissues. This dryness means the pericarp does not become pulpy or succulent.
Dry fruit can be classified as either
dehiscent fruit or
indehiscent fruit. Dehiscent dry fruit splits open at maturity to release its seeds, such as
follicles,
legumes, and
capsules. Indehiscent dry fruit, on the other hand, remains intact when shed from the plant. Examples include
achenes,
samaras,
caryopsis (grain), and
botanical nuts.
Common examples of dry fruits include:
- legumes: e.g. beans
- cereal grains: e.g. corn
- nuts: e.g. acorns