Short answer: The fruit whose seed (caroço) is outside is the cashew, where the edible part is the cashew apple and the true fruit is the shell containing the cashew nut outside the fruit, i.e., the seed is outside the main fruit structure [caqui?](javascript:void(0)). More clearly:
- In cashew (caju), the harvestable seed (the cashew nut) is attached outside the fruit shell. The true fruit is the cashew apple, and the edible part people eat as snack is the nut that hangs from the outside of the shell. This arrangement is often described as “the seed is outside” relative to the edible portion.
- By contrast, typical drupes like cherry, peach, or plum have the stone (endocarpo) inside the fleshy fruit, not outside.
Explanation in context
- The phrase “fruta com caroço do lado de fora” is commonly used in Brazilian Portuguese to describe cashew because the edible seed (the nut) is external to the fruit’s pulp. Several sources explain that the cashew nut is a seed that is attached to the bottom of the cashew apple, i.e., located outside the main fruit tissue. This is a notable exception among common fruits where the seed is enclosed inside the fruit’s flesh. If you’re curious about the specifics of cashew anatomy and how it differs from other stone fruits, I can summarize or provide diagrams.
Notes
- If you’d like, I can gather up-to-date or more detailed explanations from reliable sources and present a concise comparison table of fruits with external seeds versus internal stones, including cashew, strawberry (where what we call “seed” on the outside are achenes), and typical drupes.
