FRUITS Fruits

FRUITS Fruits

The fruit is the developed and ripened ovary or ovaries of a single flower or inflorescence. It may include other parts of the same flower .

Its function is to protect the seeds and ensure their distribution. Fruits

Fruits are produced only by flowering plants (angiosperms). Following pollination of the flower, the fertilized ovules develop into seeds while the surrounding ovary wall forms the fruit tissue, or pericarp. The placenta to which the seeds are attached is also included in the fruit and in some types constitutes its bulk The Pericarp

The pericarp consists of: Epicarp (exocarp): outer layer Mesocarp: middle tissue Endocarp: inner most part  In a peach, the skin is the exocarp, the yellow flesh is the mesocarp, while the stone surrounding the seed represents the endocarp. Fruits and Seeds

Small fruits (e.g. umbelliferous and those of the family Graminae) must not be confused with seeds.

While the testa of seeds shows only one scar (hilum), The pericarp of fruits shows two scars (one at the base and another at the apical side). Scars on the fruit

 Scar of the stalk at the base.  Scar (s) of style, stigma or floral parts  Superior fruits results from superior ovary and inferior fruit results from inferior ovary.

Superior fruit Inferior fruit (Flax fruit) ( Coriander& all Umbellifreous) Classification of fruits A- True: derived from the gynaecium only.

True fruits B- False: from the gynaecium + other floral parts. False fruits Receptacle

Parthenocarpic Classification of Fruits

Fruits

Composite Simple Aggregate (compound, multiple) (e.g.Senna pods) (e.g.Star anise) (e.g. Figs) Classification of Fruits

Simple: formed of single or syncarpous ovary ( single flower) e.g. Senna pod, Fennel, Capsicum.

Aggregate: developed from apocarpous gynaecium (single flower) e.g. Star Anise.

Composite: formed from the whole inflorescence e.g. Figs, pineable, Long pepper. Classification of Fruits Simple Fruits

According to the nature of the pericarp, fruits are classified into: Dry (dry pericarp) Succulent (fleshy pericarp) Succulent Fruits  Drupe: the endocarp is hard and woody  Berry: the endocarp neither hard nor lignified. Dry Fruits I-Dehiscent: splits open when ripe.

II-Indehiscent: does not split open when ripe.

III-Schizocarpic: bi- or multilocular-fruit, splits into one-seed indehiscent parts. I-Dehiscent Fruits  Follicle: splits along one side only .

 Legume: splits along the two sides. Dehiscent Fruits

 Siliqua: splits by two valves from base to apex, and contains membranous septum with seeds attached to the septum(mustard fruit)  Capsule: dehisces by various ways. eg: (Cardamom and poppy fruit) Capsules Open by Septa (Valves): Loculicidal:(e.g. cardamom) Septicidal:(e.g. Linseed fruit) Septifragal(e.g. Dature) Capsules Capsules

Open by pores or holes (Porous):

II- Indehiscent Fruits

1-Achene: the pericarp membranous and free from the testa i.e.not fused with it (strawberry). Achenes are small and grouped together.

2-Grain (caryopsis): the pericarp and the testa are fused (wheat) Indehiscent Fruits

3-Cypsella: one-seeded derived from bicarpilary unilocular inferior ovary (compositae)

4-Samara: winged one-seeded fruit Indehiscent Fruits

5-Nut: One-seeded with hard woody pericarp. III-Schizocarpic Fruits

1-Cremocarp: splits longitudinally. into two indehiscent mericarps attached to each other with the carpophore (e.g.umbelliferous fruits)

2-Lomentum: splits transversely into indehiscent parts and resulting from false septa in legume or siliqua. (e.g.some Leguminosae fruits,peanut) Schizocarpic Fruits 3-Regma: splits longitudinally into one seeded parts equal to the number of carpels. ( castor fruit)

4-Carcerulus: splits into numerous one seeded achene-like mericarps (double the number of carpels) e.g. Labiatae

5-Double samara: two winged parts ( Sycamore fruit) Aggregate Fruits

1)Achenes: grouped on swollen fleshy receptacle. (rasberry& strawberry)

2)Follicles: grouped on dry receptacle ( star anise). Composite Fruits (Compound,Collective or Multiple) Fruit is derived from the whole inflorescence. Strobile derived from scaly inflorescence(Hops) Soroses from a spike (pineapple) Syconus the inflorescence is a capetulum enlarged, hollow receptacle. (fig)

The Placenta

The placenta in fruits may be: Thin walled parenchyma containing V.B or scleride. Small as in cardamom Enlarged and fleshy as in succulent fruits (as in belladonna & tomato)