Schizocarp
a dry fruit composed of multiple segments
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.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Schizocarp” as a dry fruit composed of multiple segments. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as a dry fruit composed of multiple segments. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1272470. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
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- Expand the search: follow Schizocarp primary sources, Schizocarp archive and Schizocarp research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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This entry incorporates text from “Schizocarp” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.