🇺🇸
/ˈeɪkin/
🇺🇸
/ˈeɪkin/
🇬🇧
/ˈeɪ.tʃiːn/
🇬🇧
/ˈeɪ.tʃiːn/
Plural
achenes
An achene is a tiny, dry, one-seeded fruit where the seed is tightly enclosed by a hard, thin outer wall — and unlike peas or beans, it doesn’t split open when ripe. Think of a sunflower 'seed': what you crack open is actually an achene — the edible kernel inside is the true seed, while the striped shell is the fruit wall fused to it.
Each sunflower head produces hundreds of achenes, each containing a single seed.
Dandelions disperse their achenes using fluffy, wind-borne pappi.
Unlike berries, achenes are dry fruits that do not dehisce to release their seeds.
In botany labs, students often dissect strawberry receptacles to identify the tiny achenes embedded on its surface.
Maple 'keys' are not true achenes but samaras — a specialized winged fruit type related to achenes.
achen-
Comes from the Greek noun 'achēnē' (ἀχήνη), meaning 'a kind of fruit' or 'a small, dry, one-seeded fruit that does not open at maturity'. It is derived from 'achēn' (a variant of 'akēn'), ultimately linked to 'akē' (ἀκή) meaning 'point' or 'tip', reflecting the often pointed or beaked shape of such fruits. Examples include achene, caryopsis (a related fruit type), and sometimes confused with samara or nutlet in botanical contexts.