A leaf-like or modified leaf structure that forms part of a fruit or is associated with fruit development in plants.
From Greek 'karpos' (fruit) + 'phyllon' (leaf). This botanical term emerged in the 19th century to describe morphological features that blur the line between leaves and fruit structures.
Plants are evolutionary engineers—what looks like a simple fruit often contains hidden leaf-like structures that carpophyls help scientists identify, showing how fruits evolved from modified leaf-bearing mechanisms over millions of years.
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