Samara (fruit)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A samara is a type of fruit in which a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue develops from the ovary wall. A samara is a simple dry fruit and indehiscent (not opening along a seam). The shape of a samara enables the wind to carry the seed away from the parent tree:
- The seed can be in the centre of the wing, as in the elms (genus Ulmus) and the hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata).
- The seed can be on one side, with the wing extending to the ) and ashes (genus Fraxinus).
A samara is sometimes called a key and is often referred to as a helicopter or whirligig or a polynose.
[edit] Further reading
- Spinning Flight : Dynamics of Frisbees, Boomerangs, Samaras and Skipping Stones, Ralph Lorenz, Copernicus New York, September 2006 ISBN 0-387-30779-6
