Difference Between Achene and Cypsela

The key difference between achene and cypsela is that the achene is a simple dry indehiscent fruit that originates from a superior ovary. Meanwhile, the cypsela is a simple dry indehiscent fruit which originates from an inferior ovary.

Fruits are a unique structure of angiosperms. It is the ripened ovary or mature ovary after fertilization. Further, there are three types of fruits as simple fruits, aggregate fruits and multiple fruits. Here, simple fruits can be again divided into dry fruits and fleshy fruits. Simple dry fruits have a dry pericarp. Moreover, dry fruits further divide into three types; dehiscent, indehiscent and schizocarpic. Achene and cypsela are two types of dry indehiscent simple fruits. Achene does not have a pappus (a modified calyx) attached while cypsela has a pappus attached.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Achene
3. What is Cypsela
4. Similarities Between Achene and Cypsela
5. Side by Side Comparison – Achene vs Cypsela in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is Achene?

Achene is a simple fruit that is dry and indehiscent. It is a one-chambered fruit formed from a single carpel. Also, it originates from a superior ovary. Seeds are attached to the fruit wall just by a seed stalk or a funiculus (attached only by a single point). Therefore, the seed coat is free from the inner wall of the pericarp, and seeds can be easily free from the achene. Since the achene does not split open at maturity, it depends on decay or predation for the releasing of its contents.

For example, the fruits of the buttercup family, sunflower family and rose family are achenes. Moreover, strawberry is an aggregate fruit, and each “seed” is an achene.

What is Cypsela?

Cypsela is a type of simple fruit that is dry and indehiscent. Moreover, it is unilocular and single-seeded. But, unlike achene, the cypsela develops from two carpels. Moreover, it contains a pappus. This fruit mainly develops from an inferior ovary.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a plant that produces cypsela.  Further, the Daisy family also produces cypsela fruits. Moreover, since cypsela fruits are indehiscent, they rely on decay or predation to release the contents.

What are the Similarities Between Achene and Cypsela?

• Both achene and cypsela are dry fruits.
• They are simple fruits with single-seeded.
• Moreover, they are indehiscent fruits which do not split open at maturity.
• Hence, these fruits rely on decay or predation to release the contents.

What is the Difference Between Achene and Cypsela?

Achene is a dry, indehiscent simple fruit developed from a single carpel which has a superior ovary. On the other hand, cypsela is a dry, indehiscent simple fruit developed from two carpels which have inferior ovaries. So, this is the key difference between achene and cypsela.

Moreover, achene does not contain a pappus while cypsela may contain a pappus. Therefore, we can consider this as another difference between achene and cypsela. Most importantly, achene originates from a superior ovary, while cypsela originates from an inferior ovary. For example, fruits of the buttercup family, sunflower family, rose family and strawberry are achenes while fruits of dandelion and daisy family are cypsela.

Summary – Achene vs Cypsela

Achene and cypsela are two types of simple, dry and indehiscent fruits that are single seeds. Achene develops from a single carpel and superior ovary. In contrast, cypsela originates from two carpels and inferior ovaries. Therefore, this is the key difference between achene and cypsela. Moreover, achene does not contain a pappus while cypsela contains a pappus.

Reference:

1. “Achene.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Oct. 2019, Available here.
2. “Fruits.” The Seeds Site, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Strawberry surface close up macro” By rich caulton – Own work (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “dandelion#42667” By prof.bizzarro (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr