The structural and ecological diversity of fruits and seeds is well-represented in Carpological collection where there are both such giant fruits as the Entada pod 1,5 m in length or the fruit of Seychelle palm of ca. 16 kg in weight, and the dust-like seeds of orchids.

Curator: Prof. Dr. Tatiana I. Kravtsova

History:

The oldest samples of the Carpological collection are the pods of Amorpha fruticosa (Fabaceae) from North America, and the acorns of Pasania schlechteri (Fabaceae) from the tropical Asia obtained in 1821. Carpological collection was essentially replenished during late 19^th-early 20^th centuries. The fruits and seeds were received from such outstanding naturalists as K.I. Maximowicz who collected in 1861-1864 in Japan the samples of ca. 500 plant species, and V.I. Lipsky, who during brought 173 sapmles from his trips to Ceylon, India and Turkestan. In the Essential replenishments of Carpological collection were made by V.V. Markowicz from India, Palestina, and Java (1926-1927), A. Regel from Turkestan, and B.A. Fedchenko from Altai, and also by N.M. Przewalsky (1870-1880), W.A. Schrenk (1850), S.I. Korzhinsky (1897), N.N. Monteverde (1911-1926), N.I. Vavilov (1926-1930). In the late 20^th century the collection was replenished by V.I. Poliansky (1957), L.E. Rodin (1949, 1964), O.V. Zalensky (1968), E.S. Teriokhin (1970-1980)  and other botanists of the Komarov Botanical Institute.

Research:

On the basis of the Carpological collection the anatomical, morphological, taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of fruits and seeds are conducted. Moreover, its funds are used for research outside of the Komarov Botanical Institute (in the state universities of Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ulyanovsk and Yaroslavl).