Fruits and Their Types

Study Notes

Fruits develop from the fertilized ovary of a flower, with maturation time varying across species.
In nutmeg, it takes approximately 90 days for a mature fruit to form.
Fruits are classified based on appearance and texture, falling into dry or juicy categories.

Dry Fruit: Example includes peanuts (ground nut).
Juicy Fruit: An example is mango.
Dehiscent Fruit: Pigeon peas belong here as they burst open to release seeds.
Indehiscent Fruit: Coconut is an example, where seeds remain inside.
False Fruit: Cashew is termed a false fruit, developing from the swelling of the receptacle rather than the ovary.
The cashew nut, which is the true fruit, features a thick, hard, and shiny outer coat and contains a single dicotyledonous seed, which is edible.

Serve as a major food source for humans and animals.
Act as storage for nutrients in the cotyledons of seeds during germination.
Provide protection for seeds.
Facilitate seed dispersal through both fleshy and dry fruits, enabling their spread to distant locations.

Seeds are structures that lead to the growth of new plants, arising from the fertilization of a female sex cell by pollen.
The reproductive cycle begins with flower development, followed by pollination, and results in seed formation upon successful fertilization.

A typical seed consists of three main parts:
- Embryo: Develops into a new plant.
- Cotyledons: One or more seed leaves providing energy and nutrients to the seedling until true leaves emerge.
- Seed Coat: Protects the seed from environmental damage.