In botany, a
follicle is a dry unilocular many-seeded
fruitThe term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants disseminate seeds, and the presence of seeds indicates that a structure is most likely a fruit, though not all seeds come from...
formed from one carpel and
dehiscingDehiscence is the opening at maturity of a plant structure, such as a fruit, anther, or sporangium, to release its contents.-Anther dehiscence:...
by the ventral suture in order to release seeds, such as in
larkspurLarkspur may refer to:* Larkspur, California* Larkspur, Colorado* Larkspur radio system, used by the British Army* Delphinium, a genus of 300 flowers with widespread nativity* Consolida, a genus of 40 flowers native to central and western Eurasia...
,
magnoliaMagnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae.The natural range of Magnolia species is a disjunct distribution, with a main center in east and southeast Asia and a secondary center in eastern North America, Central America,...
,
banksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
,
peonyPeony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America. Boundaries between species are not clear and estimates of the number of species range from 25 to 40...
and milkweed.
It is rare to meet with a solitary follicle forming the fruit. There are usually several aggregated together, either in a whorl on a shortened
receptacle-Botanical meaning:In botany, the receptacle is the thickened part of a stem from which the flower organs grow. In some accessory fruits, for example in pomes or strawberries, the receptacle gives rise to the edible part of the fruit.-Phycological meaning:...
, as in
helleboreCommonly known as hellebores, members of the genus Helleborus comprise approximately 20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae...
,
aconiteAconite may refer to:*Aconitum, a plant genus containing the monkshoods*Aconitine, a toxin derived from some of the Aconitum genus plants*Winter aconite, a plant in the genus Eranthis...
,
larkspurLarkspur may refer to:* Larkspur, California* Larkspur, Colorado* Larkspur radio system, used by the British Army* Delphinium, a genus of 300 flowers with widespread nativity* Consolida, a genus of 40 flowers native to central and western Eurasia...
,
columbineAquilegia is a genus of about 60-70 species of columbines, herbaceous perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They are known for their distinctive flowers, generally bell-shaped, with each petal modified into an elongated...
or the family
CrassulaceaeThe Crassulaceae, or orpine family, is a family of dicotyledons. They store water in their succulent leaves. They are found worldwide, but mostly occur in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce...
, or in a spiral manner on an elongated receptacle, as in
MagnoliaMagnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subclass Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae.The natural range of Magnolia species is a disjunct distribution, with a main center in east and southeast Asia and a secondary center in eastern North America, Central America,...
and
BanksiaBanksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
. Occasionally, follicles dehisce by the dorsal suture, as in Magnolia grandiflora and Banksia.