Capsule (fruit) 310441 224795359 2008-07-10T13:18:23Z 168.68.1.127 Nigella, the source of black-cumin, forms a capsule {{otheruses|Capsule}} [[Image:Spathoglottis_flwrs.jpg|thumb|250px|Flowers and developing fruit capsules of the ground orchid ''Spathoglottis plicata'']] In [[botany]] a '''capsule''' is a type of simple, dry [[fruit]] produced by many species of [[flowering plant]]s. A capsule is a dehiscent structure composed of two or more [[carpel]]s, that, at maturity, split apart (dehisce) to release the [[seed]]s within. In some capsules, the split occurs between carpels, and in others each carpel splits open. In yet others, seeds are released through openings or pores that form in the capsule. In the [[Brazil nut]], a lid on the capsule opens, but is too small to release the dozen or so seeds (the actual "Brazil nut" of commerce) within. These germinate inside the capsule after it falls to the ground. Capsules are sometimes mislabeled as [[nut_(fruit)|nuts]], as in the example of the [[Brazil nut]] or the [[Aesculus|Horse-chestnut]]. A capsule is not a nut because it releases its seeds and it splits apart. Nuts on the other hand do not release seeds as they are a compound [[ovary (plants)|ovary]] containing both a single seed and the fruit. Nuts also do not split. Examples of plants that produce capsules are [[nigella]], [[poppy]], [[lily]], [[orchid]], [[willow]], [[cotton]], and [[jimson weed]]. [[Category:Plant morphology]] [[cs:Tobolka (plod)]] [[es:Cápsula (fruto)]] [[eo:Kapsulo]] [[fr:Capsule (botanique)]] [[he:הלקט]] [[nl:Doosvrucht]] [[ja:カプセル]] [[pt:Cápsula (fruto)]] [[ro:Capsulă (fruct)]] [[ru:Коробочка]] [[sr:Чахура]] [[zh:蒴果]]