Maize grain: A fruit or a seed

Maize grain is actually a fruit as it exhibits the features of caryopsis. Let’s see how it confirms to the definition of caryopsis. Caryopsis is a clear botanical term used in the fruit morphology.

- Caryopsis is a simple, dry indehiscent fruit which develops or emerges from a superior ovary (ovary above all other floral parts) of a monocarpellary gynoecium. When these features are compared with maize grain, elements of doubt are eliminated as maize grain is also a dry fruit and does not break open automatically on its own so indehiscent fruit. It also has a simple flower with a single carpel so monocarpellary gynoecium.

- Further more to the above stated characteristics. In maize, the seed coat (Testa or wall of seed) is inseparably fused with the wall of the fruit (pericarp). It is called Hull. This Hull shows a tiny scar at the top indicating that the grain is in fact a fruit and not seed.