caryopsis

2 definitions found

caryopsis - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Caryopsis \Car`y*op"sis\, n.; pl. Caryopses. [NL., fr. gr. ?
     hut, kernel + ? sight, form.] (Bot.)
     A one-celled, dry, indehiscent fruit, with a thin membranous
     pericarp, adhering closely to the seed, so that fruit and
     seed are incorporated in one body, forming a single grain, as
     of wheat, barley, etc.
     [1913 Webster]

caryopsis - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  caryopsis
      n 1: dry seed-like fruit produced by the cereal grasses: e.g.
           wheat, barley, Indian corn [syn: grain, caryopsis]