= Caryopsis
A <caryopsis> is a dry, one-seeded <fruit> that remains closed at maturity and has its <pericarp> fused to the <seed coat>. It is characteristic of <grasses>. A <maize> kernel is therefore a whole <fruit>, even though everyday language often calls it a <seed>.<Glossary of Botanical Terms by PlantNET>[C entries, caryopsis; Figure 18 S]{ref}
The developmental distinction survives the fusion: the <pericarp> comes from the <ovary (botany)> wall, whereas the <seed coat> comes from the coverings of the <ovule>. A close attachment between the two does not make them the same <tissue>.
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