pseudocarp

9.9

A fruit like an apple or strawberry that forms mostly from parts of the flower outside the ovary

noun
/ˈsuːdəˌkɑrp/

Specialized

: pseudocarpio

A strawberry is a classic example of a pseudocarp due to its unique botanical structure.

Examples

The apple is considered a pseudocarp because much of its flesh develops from tissues outside the ovary.
Botanists often contrast pseudocarps with 'true fruits,' which form solely from the ovary.
A pseudocarp can be found in many fruits.
Did you know that a strawberry is a pseudocarp?
A strawberry is a classic example of a pseudocarp due to its unique botanical structure.
The apple is considered a pseudocarp because much of its flesh develops from tissues outside the ovary.
Botanists often contrast pseudocarps with 'true fruits,' which form solely from the ovary.

Synonyms

accessory fruit

vspseudocarp

Specialized

8.4

A fruit whose flesh comes from flower parts, like an apple or strawberry

is the same concept expressed by a different technical term

false fruit

vspseudocarp

Specialized

7.6

A fruit like an apple or pear whose edible part comes from other flower parts

is the same concept expressed by an alternate common name

Surface Forms

pseudocarp singular

pseudocarps plural

Morphology

pseudocarp = carp (opaque) = pseudo + carp

Although the prefix pseudo- is transparent as 'false,' the second element is a bound botanical combining form, so the meaning is not easily recoverable for an average learner.

Etymology

The word pseudocarp comes from the Greek parts pseudo- meaning 'false' and karpos meaning 'fruit'. You know pseudo- from pseudonym, which means 'false name'. So a pseudocarp is a 'false fruit' — it looks like a fruit but much of its flesh comes from other flower parts, not the ovary, the part that makes seeds.