Usually referring to the legume family, a pod is composed of one folded carpel. Pods hold the forming seeds and open when seeds mature. A sweet pea is an example of a pod.
Between the blossoms of the permanently flowering cocoa tree we can see fruit (pods) at various stages of development. The egg-shaped cocoa pods measure between 15 and 30 centimeters (between 6 and 12 inches) and hang from the trunk and the largest branches. Each fruit contains between 30 and 40 beans of about 1 cm (about 0.5 inch) in length.