Indehiscent Dry Simple Fruits

• A fruit is the seed-bearing structure of Angiospermic plants.
• A fruit forms after the ripening of the ovary.
• There are two types of fruits: True and False fruits.
• Both True and False fruit types are classified into three groups.
• The classification of fruit is based on the number of flowers participating in the formation of the fruit.
• There are three groups: Simple, Aggregate, and Multiple.

Simple Fruit

• Simple fruit develops from one flower.
• Simple fruits are divided into two types: Dry and Fleshy.

Dry Simple Fruits

• Dry simple fruits are further divided into Indehiscent and Dehiscent types.

Indehiscent dry simple Fruits / Achenial

• The pericarp of Indehiscent dry simple fruits is dry, but doesn't split to release seeds.
• Indehiscent dry simple fruits are divided into different types.

Achene

• Boerhaavia sp. and Mirabilis sp. are examples of plants bearing Achene fruits.

Caryopsis

• Triticum and Zea are examples of plants bearing Caryopsis fruits.

Nut

• Anacardium occidentale is an example of a plant bearing nut fruits.

Samara

• Samara develops from a bi- to tricarpellary, syncarpous, superior ovary.
• The Samara ovary has a single ovule in each locule.
• Dodonaea and Acer are examples of plants bearing Samara fruits.

Dehiscent dry simple Fruits / Capsular

• Dehiscent dry simple fruits include Legume/ Pod, Follicle, Capsule and Siliqua.

Legume/ Pod

• Pisum is an example of a plant bearing Legume/Pod fruits.
• Arachis hypogea, peanut, is an example of Pod (legume).

Follicle

• Delphinium and Calotropis (Pair of follicles) are examples of plants bearing Follicle fruits.

Capsule

• Hibiscus, Gossypium, Amaranthus, and Bhendi are examples of plants bearing Capsule fruits.

Siliqua

• The members of Cruciferae like Brassica are plants bearing Siliqua fruits.

Fleshy simple Fruits

• Fleshy simple fruits are characterized by a soft and fleshy pericarp when ripe.
• The pericarp is generally differentiated into three parts: Epicarp, Mesocarp, and Endocarp.
  • Epicarp is the leathery outer wall.
  • Mesocarp is the fleshy middle portion.
  • Endocarp is the inner wall, which is fleshy, leathery, or stony.
• Fleshy simple fruits are divided into different types.

Berry

• The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is an example of a berry fruit.
• Most of the pericarp of a berry is fleshy.
• The exocarp of the berry is the outer skin.
• The mesocarp of the berry is the fleshy interior.

Drupe

• Mango is an example of Drupe fruit.
• Sometimes the mesocarp is fibrous, as in Coconut, or dry, as in Almond.

Pome

• Malus sylvestris apple is an example of Pome.
• Pome is a pseudocarp or false fruit.
• Most of the flesh of a pome is derived from the epigynous receptacle.

Aggregate fruits

• If more than one fruit develops from a single flower, they are referred to as aggregate fruits.
• Aggregate fruits generally form a bunch called 'Etaerio' or 'Fruitlets'.
• Aggregate fruits are of different types.

Etaerio of follicles

• Catharanthus roseus and Calotropis (ovary and style also free) are examples of plants bearing Etaerio of follicles.
• Many follicles developed from Polycarpellary ovary, Michelia champaka, are Etaerio of Follicles.

Etaerio of berries

• A bunch of berries developed from apocarpus ovary.
• Ployalthia longifolia is an example of a plant bearing Etaerio of berries.

Multiple Fruits

• All the flowers of an inflorescence together lead to the development of a multiple or composite fruit.
• There are two types of multiple fruits.

Sorosis

• Artocarpus sp. and Ananas sp. are examples of Sorosis.
• Jack fruit is sorosis.
• Pineapple is sorosis.
• Mulberry is sorosis.

Syconus

• Ficus is Syconus.

Seed structure

• A seed is a basic part of any plant.
• Ovules develop into seeds after fertilization.
• A seed has a seed coat and an embryo.
• The embryo consists of a radicle, an embryonal axis, and one or two cotyledons.
  • One cotyledon in wheat, maize
  • Two cotyledons in gram and pea.
• A seed converts into a new plant when planted, it is the most important part.

Types of Seeds

• There are two primary types of seeds.
• Types: Monocotyledonous and Dicotyledonous Seed.

Structure of a Monocotyledonous Seed

• Monocotyledonous seed has only one cotyledon.
• A seed of Monocotyledonous has the following parts: Seed Coat, Endosperm, Aleuron layer, Embryo, Scutellum, Coleoptile and coleorhiza.
• In the seed of cereals such as maize, the seed coat is membranous and generally fused with the fruit wall, called Hull.
• The outer covering of endosperm separates the embryo by a proteinous layer called aleurone layer.
• The embryo is small and situated in a groove at one end of the endosperm.
  • The plumule and radicle are the two ends of the embryonal axis.
• There is one large and shield-shaped cotyledon, called Scutellum.

Structure of a Dicotyledonous Seed

• Dicotyledonous Seeds have the following parts: Seed coat, Hilum, Micropyle, Embryo, Cotyledons, Radicle and plumule, Endosperm.
• The outermost covering of a seed is the seed coat: an outer testa and the inner tegmen.
• Hilum is a scar on the seed coat through which the developing seed was attached to the fruit.
• Micropyle is a small pore present above the hilum.
• Embryo consists of an embryonal axis and two cotyledons.
• These cotyledons are often fleshy and full of reserve food materials.
• Radicle and plumule are present at the two ends of the embryonal axis.
• In some seeds such as castor, the endosperm formed because of double fertilization, is a food storing tissue.
• Plants such as bean, gram and pea are known as non-endospermous.