In botany, having naked or exposed fruits and seeds not enclosed in a protective covering or cup-like structure.
From Greek gymnos (naked) + karpos (fruit) + -ous (having the quality of). Similar to gymnocarpic, this variant form emphasizes the exposed nature of the fruit.
The reason botanists obsessed over whether fruits were 'naked' or 'clothed' is that covering protects seeds—so naming these traits told scientists which plants invested in seed protection strategies!
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