A schizocarp is a dry fruit that, when mature, splits up into mericarps. There are different definitions: * Any dry fruit composed of multiple carpels that separate. : Under this definition the mericarps can contain one or more seeds (the mericarps of '' Abutilon'' have two or more seeds) and each mericarp can be either: :*

Indehiscent Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part; structures that op ...

(remaining closed), such as in the carrot and other

Umbelliferae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus ''Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plants ...

or in members of the genus ''

Malva ''Malva'' is a genus of herbaceous annual, biennial, and perennial plants in the family Malvaceae. It is one of several closely related genera in the family to bear the common English name mallow. The genus is widespread throughout the temper ...

'', or :* Dehiscent (splitting open to release the seed), for example members of the genus '' Geranium''. This is similar to what happens with a capsule, but with an extra stage. (In ''Abutilon'', the mericarp is sometimes only partially dehiscent and does not release the seed.) * Any fruit that separates into indehiscent one-seeded segments, such as a

loment A loment (or lomentum) is a type of dehiscent legume fruit that breaks apart at constrictions occurring between segments, so that each segment contains one seed. It is a type of schizocarp. Tick trefoil (''Desmodium'') and sweet vetch (''Hedysarum ...

, ''

'', '' Malvastrum'', and '' Sida''.

References

Fruit morphology {{Botany-stub