Virtual Museum of Canada
Jardin botanique de Montréal 
Centre for Forest Research

The fruit of knowledge

Question 4 of 10: Identify which of these statements about the fruit of the Kentucky coffee tree is incorrect.

A
In botanical terms, this is not a fruit, it's an accessory fruit. It is formed when several flowers of an inflorescence form fruits and fuse together. The strawberry is a good example of this type of accessory fruit.
B
The seeds and pulp of the fruit are toxic to humans and livestock. Danger!
C
The first European colonists in North America roasted the seeds and used them as a coffee substitute.
D
This fruit is a pod, a type of fruit characteristic of the legume family, like the bean.

Gymnocladus dioicus

© Jardin botanique de Montréal (Robert Mineau)