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.
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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 −
| Fruits | Edible Parts |
|---|---|
| Apple | Thalamus |
| Banana | Mesocarp |
| Coconut | Endosperm |
| Coriander | Thalamus |
| Chinese date | Epicarp & Mesocarp |
| Custurd apple | Pericarp |
| Guava | Pericarp |
| Grape | Pericarp |
| Ground nut | Seed leaves |
| Jack fruit | Sepals |
| Lemon | Juicy pore |
| Litchi | Pulpy aerial |
| Mango | Mesocarp |
| Mulberry | Bract, sepals |
| Orange | Juicy hair |
| Pear | Thalamus |
| Papaya | Pericarp |
| Tomato | Pericarp |
| Wood apple | Mesocarp |
The Fruit