fruit terminology

[mike grant]

Dear Taxacomers

A pomological colleague of mine is trying to find morphological terms for
two items of fruit anatomy:

1. In an apple, the channel connecting the remains of the calyx and its
associated hollow (usually visible externally) with the ovary in the centre
of the apple. This channel through the fleshy receptacle is sometimes hollow
and is sometimes closed, but it always contains the remains of the style.
It is an important feature in illustrations for cultivar identification and
is only visible in longitudinal sections, but seems to lack a name. The
calyx and its associated hollow is apparently termed the floral tube or
floral canal in pomological textbooks, both of which don't sound like
perfect terms to me, but it is the channel for the style through the
receptacle that he would like suggestions for.

2. In a gooseberry (and some other fruits) the pedicel has an abscission
layer half way, or some way, along it. The relative position of the layer is
important for cultivar identification. Are there any terms for the two
sections of pedicel other than proximal portion of pedicel and distal
portion of pedicel?

I have looked through quite a few glossaries and morphological texts without
any luck.

Any suggestions welcome!

Mike Grant
Botanist
The Royal Horticultural Society
RHS Garden
Wisley
Woking                                 T +44 (0)1483 224234
Surrey                                    F +44 (0)1483 211750
GU23 6QB                             E  mikeg at rhs.org.uk
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