Pyrena

This article is about fruitstones. For the video game development company, see Pyrena Studios. For the organelle within the chloroplast of some algae and hornworts, see pyrenoid. For other uses of "pyrene", see Pyrene (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Pirene.

A pyrena (/paɪˈriːnə/) (pl.: pyrenae) or pyrene, commonly called a pit or stone, is the fruitstone inside certain types of fruit, namely drupes or drupelets, and consists of a hardened shell-like layer surrounding one or more seeds (also called the "kernel"). It is produced by the hardening of the inner lining tissue of the fruit, called the endocarp. This hardened structure provides a protective physical barrier around the seed, shielding it from pathogens and herbivory.

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