kapselform

Kapselform is a botanical term used to describe a capsule-shaped form of a dry, dehiscent fruit. In Dutch-language botanical literature, kapsel refers to a dry fruit that splits open at maturity to release seeds, and kapselform denotes the overall capsule-like morphology. The term is employed as a descriptive descriptor rather than as a taxonomic grouping, helping to categorize fruits by shape and dehiscence pattern.

Etymology and usage: The word combines kapsel (capsule) and vorm (form). It appears in floras, monographs, and morphology-focused discussions to communicate that a particular fruit resembles a capsule in its exterior shape and dehiscence behavior. While most often used in Dutch, the concept translates to the English term capsule form or capsule-shaped fruit in broader botany contexts.

Morphology: Kapselform fruits are typically dry at maturity and arise from one or more fused carpels. They are characterized by dehiscence, meaning they split open to release seeds. Dehiscence can occur in several ways, including loculicidal (along the locules), septicidal (along the septa), or poricidal openings, depending on the genus. The external shapes of kapselform fruits range from cylindrical and oblong to spherical or irregular in cross-section.

Examples and context: In many Papaveraceae species (poppies), the mature fruit is a capsule with a distinctive crown-like apex, illustrating kapselform. Other plant groups also produce capsule-like fruits, making the term useful across diverse taxa. In paleobotany and morphological surveys, kapselform serves as a practical descriptor to distinguish capsule-shaped fruits from other fruit types such as drupes or schizocarps.

See also: Capsule (fruit), Dehiscence, Fruit morphology, Plant morphology.