Fruits

Question 1

What is the definition of a fruit?

Answer 1

A plant organ derived from a fertilized ovary (gynaecium)

Fruits protect and nourish seeds.

Question 2

What are the main functions of fruits?

Answer 2

Protect and nourish seeds

The pericarp of fruits shows two scars (one at the base and another at the apical side).

Question 3

What are the classifications of fruits?

Answer 3

Fruits can be classified as:
* True Fruit
* False Fruit
* Composite Fruit
* Simple Fruits
* Aggregate Fruits

Each classification has distinct characteristics.

Question 4

What is a true fruit?

Answer 4

A fruit formed from the gynaecium of a single flower alone

True fruits do not involve other floral parts.

Question 5

What is a false fruit?

Answer 5

A fruit formed when other parts of the flower take part in its formation

Examples include apples and pears.

Question 6

What is a composite fruit?

Answer 6

A fruit formed from the whole inflorescence and not from a single flower

This includes structures like strobiles and sorosis.

Question 7

What is a simple fruit?

Answer 7

A fruit formed of one carpel or syncarpous ovary

Simple fruits can be either dry or fleshy.

Question 8

What is an aggregate fruit?

Answer 8

A fruit formed from an apocarpous gynaecium of a single flower

An example is the star anise.

Question 9

What are dry dehiscent fruits?

Answer 9

Fruits that split when ripe to release seeds

Types include follicle, legume, capsule, and silique.

Question 10

What is a follicle?

Answer 10

A fruit formed from one carpel which dehisces by the ventral suture only

Example: black pea.

Question 11

What is a legume?

Answer 11

A monocarpellary fruit that splits along both dorsal and ventral sutures

Example: senna pods.

Question 12

What is a capsule in terms of fruit classification?

Answer 12

A fruit derived from a syncarpous ovary that dehisces by various methods

Methods include septicidal, loculicidal, poricidal, or by lid.

Question 13

What is a silique?

Answer 13

A fruit from two carpels with a false septum that splits to expose seeds

Example: mustards.

Question 14

What are indehiscent fruits?

Answer 14

Dry fruits that do not split when ripe and are typically one-seeded

Types include achene, caryopsis, cypsela, and samara.

Question 15

What is an achene?

Answer 15

A one-seeded fruit formed of one carpel with a free pericarp

The pericarp can be membranous or leathery.

Question 16

What is a caryopsis?

Answer 16

An achene where the pericarp and testa are fused

Example: wheat.

Question 17

What is a samara?

Answer 17

A winged, one-seeded fruit formed from one or more carpels

The wings develop from the pericarp.

Question 18

What is a nut?

Answer 18

A one-seeded fruit that is bigger than an achene, with a hard woody or leathery pericarp

Examples include chestnut and hazel.

Question 19

What are schizocarpic fruits?

Answer 19

Fruits that become dry and split into one-seeded indehiscent parts called mericarps

Cremocarp is a familiar type.

Question 20

What is a cremocarp?

Answer 20

A fruit formed of two carpels that splits longitudinally into two one-seeded mericarps

Examples include anise and fennel.

Question 21

What are succulent fruits?

Answer 21

Fruits where part or most of the pericarp is fleshy and typically indehiscent

Examples include drupes and berries.

Question 22

What is a drupe?

Answer 22

A fruit with a leathery epicarp, fleshy mesocarp, and hard endocarp enclosing a single seed

Example: olive.

Question 23

What is a berry?

Answer 23

A fruit where the pericarp is entirely fleshy and usually many-seeded

Example: capsicum.

Question 24

What is a pepo?

Answer 24

A special type of berry with a hard or leathery epicarp

Examples include colocynth and banana.

Question 25

What is a hesperidium?

Answer 25

A special type of berry with a thin epicarp and pithy mesocarp

Example: citrus fruits.

Question 26

What are false fruits?

Answer 26

Fruits derived from the mature ovary of a single flower along with other floral parts

Examples include apple and pear.

Question 27

What are the three regions of the pericarp?

Answer 27

The pericarp is divisible into:
* Epicarp (outer layer)
* Mesocarp (middle tissue)
* Endocarp (innermost part)

Each region has distinct roles and characteristics.

Question 28

What are the general characters of umbelliferous fruits?

Answer 28

They are true, simple, dry, schizocarpic, cremocarp fruits derived from an inferior ovary

They split into two indehiscent one-seeded mericarps.

Question 29

What is the structure of the stylopod?

Answer 29

A conical structure at the apex of the fruit, representing remains of style, stigma, and nectary discs

It connects the two mericarps.

Question 30

What types of secretory tissues are found in fruits?

Answer 30

Secretory tissues can be:
* External (nectaries, glandular hairs)
* Internal (secretory cells, secretory glands, secretory ducts, laticiferous vessels)

They serve various functions including secretion of volatile oils and latex.

Question 31

What is the histological structure of the epicarp?

Answer 31

Usually consists of one row of epidermis with rare glandular trichome

Non-glandular trichomes can be unicellular or multicellular.

Question 32

What characterizes the mesocarp histologically?

Answer 32

Presence of schizogenous secreting ducts (vittae) that contain volatile oils

Vascular bundles are fibro-bicollateral.

Question 33

What types of endosperm can be found in fruits?

Answer 33

Types of endosperm include:
* Orthospermous (flat)
* Coelospermous (slightly curved)
* Campylospermous (strongly grooved)

These types vary based on the ventral side character.