Did you know that each kernel of corn on a cob is a whole fruit? The corn kernel is a type of fruit called a caryopsis, which is a kind of fruit with a single seed. That is why we commonly think of a kernel of corn as a seed. Each corn fruit only has one seed. Also the seed coat is fused with the inner wall of the fruit so you can not separate the seed from the rest of the fruit. Finally, a caryopsis is dry and hard when the fruit is ripe.
For corn, the largest part of the fruit is the seed. So even though the kernel is a whole fruit, it looks more like a seed when we plant this fruit.
