Biology - The Fruit

Introduction

• For the common people, fruits are nutritious and delicious edible things, but for a botanist, fruits are the seed-bearing structure found in flowering plants.

• During the ancient period or even today, many of the animals including human beings are dependent on fruits (for their survival).

• Likewise, fruit is usually fleshy seed-associated structures of a plant, which is edible in the raw state (not all types of fruits are edible, as some are poisonous) and tastes sweet or sour.

Structure of the Fruit

• The layer, usually, surrounding the seeds, is known as ‘pericarp.’

• Formed of ovary, pericarp is the edible part of fruit.

• The pericarp further classified as epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.

Seedless Fruits

• Some fruits are seedless (such as banana), which have pretty high commercial importance.

• Further, some fruits are scientifically developed seedless such as pineapples, grapes, etc.

Types of Fruits

• Based on the fertilization of the flowers, fruit is classified as −

• True Fruits − When the fruit forms in the ovary (of the flower) through fertilization is known as true fruit. E.g. strawberry.

• False Fruits − The fruits formed some other means (other than ovary), such as calyx, thalamus, corolla, etc. known as false fruits. E.g. pear, apple, etc.

• Further, because of verities and diversities, fruits are classified as −

• Simple fruit − It can be either dry fruit (such as coconut, walnut, etc.) or fleshy (such as gooseberry, tomato, etc.).

• Aggregate fruit − It is formed from single flowers, which have multiple carpels. E.g. raspberry.

• Multiple fruit − It is formed from a cluster of flowers, e.g. pineapple, mulberry, etc.

Fruits and their Edible Parts

• Following table illustrates the name of fruits and their edible parts −