Seed

Botanically, the cannabis "seed" is an achene — a small, dry, indehiscent, single-seeded fruit in which the pericarp (fruit wall) is fused to and encloses the true seed (Small 1975, 2015). Mature achenes are 2–6 mm long, ellipsoidal, often mottled by a persistent perianth remnant in wild or feral plants and smooth in domesticated plants (Small 1975). Each achene develops within the perigonal bract following wind pollination and contains a curved embryo rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (Small 2015). Despite correct botanical nomenclature, "seed" is universally used in horticultural, legal, and commercial contexts. Etymology: Old English sǣd, from Proto-Germanic sēdiz ("that which is sown"); Latin achenium from Greek a- ("not") + chainein ("to gape"), i.e., not splitting open. Synonyms/slang: achene, grain (in hemp seed trade), hempseed, "beans." → See also: Seedling, Pollination, Feminized, Regular seeds, Hempseed (Products).