Fruits - Formation, Parts and Different Types of Fruits

Fruits - Formation, Parts and Different Types of Fruits

• In the flowering plant, after the  pollination and fertilization, there are  some post  fertilization changes.

• During these changes, the ovary of the plant turns into  the fruit and the ovules are changed  into seeds. Ovary wall forms a fruit wall, called Pericarp.

• Those fruits developed from the ovary are called true fruit.

• The fruits that are developed from the other part than the ovary like thalamus, are called false fruit. Other floral parts degenerate and fall off.

• Seeds are protected inside the fruit. Due to various attractive colours, and pleasant smells, mostly birds, animals and insects are attracted towards the fruit.

• This attraction proceeds the phenomenon of seed dispersal.

Types of fruits

• The fruit has mainly two parts -  pericarp and  seed.

• The pericarp  is the outer wall of the ovary from which the fruit developed.

• The pericarp is differentiated into three layers -   

• Outermost layer of the pericarp that forms the skin of fruit is called Epicarp.

• The thick, fleshy and juicy middle layer of the fruit is called Pericarp.

• The innermost layer of the fruit that is developed from the pith called Endocarp.

Classification of Fruits on the basis of the number of ovaries and the number of flowers involved in their formation

• Aggregate Fruits is a collection of  fruitlets. These fruits develop from multiple ovaries from the same flower. E.g Blackberries, strawberries.

• Multiple Fruits are formed by all the flowers of an inflorescence which together result in a single big fruit.

• Multiple fruits are called false or composite fruits. E.g Mulberries, pineapple.

• The  fruits that develop from a single ovary are called  simple fruits.

• Simple fruits are also divided into Dry fruits and Fleshy fruits.

• Dry Fruits are those fruits in which the pericarp is not succulent and the pericarp becomes dry when fruits attain maturity.

• Dry fruits are grouped into  Dehiscent and Indehiscent fruits.

• Dehiscent fruits are those that are  dehisced  (open by rupturing) when they mature. Dehiscent fruits are of following type-

• Follicle  is a dry dehiscent fruit developed from a single carpel and on maturity, it ruptures from a single place and forms  only a single suture. For Ex- Larkspur

• Legume  is a fruit which arises from a single carpel and on maturity splits along its dorsal and ventral sutures. Example- Pea

• Capsule type of fruit developed from the multiple carpals and ruptures in four points. Example Eucalyptus

• Silique- is made up of two carpals that split on maturity. Example -Mustard plant

 

• Indehiscent fruits do not  rupture or  open on maturity.  The types of indehiscent dry fruits are of following types-

• Akene is such fruit in which  seed is attached to the fruit at one point only. For Ex- sunflower

• Caryopsis is such fruit in which  seed is attached to the multiple point only. For Ex- Maize

• Samara is a type of fruit with seed that has  wing-like structures.  For Ex- Maple

• Schizocarp has  multiple carpels which are  separated on maturity and  form multiple indehiscent fruits. 

• Nut fruit has thick pericarps and is a one-seeded fruit formed from a compound ovary. E.g Chestnuts

• In Fleshy Fruits, the pericarp is thick and fleshy. The types of fleshy fruit are as follows-

• Berry fruit has one or more carpels and contains one or more seeds. The pericarp is soft, fleshy and juicy like Banana, grapes

• Drupe is derived from a single carpel and has only one seed. Exocarp is present as a thin skin, the mesocarp is fleshy and the endocarp becomes stony hard. E.g Mango

• Pome is called accessory fruit is an accessory fleshy fruit formed by a group of carpels that are firmly united with each other and surrounded by the receptacle. E.g Apple