Akene, achene or achaene?
All three forms exist, but at Akène, we chose akene. Why? Simply because we find this spelling more visually appealing. It is also the form most commonly used.
What is an akene, or an achene or an achaene?
In botany, an akene is a small dry fruit that contains a single seed and does not open when mature. In other words, what we sometimes think of as a seed is actually a fruit.
This type of fruit is very common in the plant world.
Have you ever blown on the white puffballs of a dandelion after it has flowered? Then you have already blown on akenes! In fact, the akenes are found at the tip of the pappus, those characteristic little white bristles. Once they are dispersed on the ground, they can germinate and grow into new dandelions.
Akenes are also found in several native plants. This is the case with wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana): the small “seeds” visible on the surface of the strawberry are actually akenes. Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) produce them as well, along with many other plants in the local flora.
In summary, akene, achene and achaene all refer to the same botanical reality. We simply chose akene because we find that spelling more appealing.