Legume

A legume is a simple dry fruit which develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces (opens along a seam) on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a "pod", although pod is also applied to a few other fruit types. A peanut is not a nut in the botanical sense; a peanut is an indehiscent legume, that is, one whose pod does not split open on its own.



The term is derived from the French word "légume" which, however, has a wider meaning and refers to any kind of vegetable; the English word legume being translated in French by the word légumineuse.

Legumes are a good source of iron and fiber.