FRUIT CLASSIFICATIONS 1

Definition:
 Fruits are seed-bearing structures. It develops from a ripe
ovary.
 They are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibres.
Grapes, bananas, papaya, watermelon are some of the
fruits consumed by humans.
 They are the main source of a balanced diet.
 A fruit is a mature ovary.
 A true fruit develops from ovary. E.g. Mango,
 While a false or spurious fruit or pseudocarp
develops from other floral parts. E.g. Apple.
 If a fruit develops from ovary without fertilization is
called
 parthenocarpic fruit.
 They are seedless. E.g. Musa paradisica (banana)
• The structure known as a "fruit" is
found only in the members of the
Angiosperms.
• A fruit developed solely from the ovary
and its contents is known as a true fruit.
• Its function is to protect the seeds as
they develop and help in their dispersal.
Parts of a Fruit
A fruit comprises the following parts:
•Pericarp
•Seeds

Pericarp
The pericarp is the wall of the ovary that develops as the wall of the
fruits.
• The pericarp of the fruits might be fleshy as in guava, mango, etc. or
might be dry as in mustard, walnut, etc. The pericarp is further
differentiated into three layers, namely:
•Epicarp: Outermost layer, forms the peel.
•Mesocarp: Middle layer, fleshy, edible portion of the fruits
•Endocarp: Innermost layer, the inner rough portion where the seed is
accommodated

Seeds
• Seeds are ripened fertilized ovules. It is an embryonic plant
enclosed in a protective outer covering.
pericarp
QUIZ:
NAME THE PARTS OF A FRUIT BELOW:
PARTS OF A FRUIT
USES OF FRUITS
 Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals which are essential for a
healthy human body.
 Oranges are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C is vital to neutralize any
free radicals in our body.
 Acids in citrus fruits are very effective in skin whitening and
exfoliation.
 Besides consumption, citrus acids can help to get rid of mineral
deposits and grease on cooking utensils.
 Fibre-rich fruits like raspberries are very good for digestion.
 The protein in papaya, called papain, can help the breakdown of
proteins, and therefore aid digestion.
 It also reduces acidity levels and eases indigestion.
 Palm dates have a low glycemic index and hence, they are very
useful in blood sugar regulation.
 Furthermore, Palm dates is high in dietary fibre and is very helpful
for digestion.
 Grapes have a chemical called Reservatrol that functions similar to
aspirin, giving it the properties of an analgesic (painkillers).
Classification of fruits:
•Fruits are classified into three types- Simple,
Aggregate
and Multiple fruits.
 Simple fruits – develop from monocarpellary
or syncarpous ovaries of single flower
 i.e. one flower - one fruit.
 Aggregate fruits – develop from apocarpous
ovaries of single flower
 i.e. one flower - many fruits.
 Composite or Multiple fruits – develop from
many
flowers or entire inflorescence
 i.e. many flowers - single fruit)
Simple Aggregate Multiple
Fruit Fruit Fruit

achen
es
Type of Simple fruits:
Simple
fruits

Dry : Fleshy :
Pericarp Pericarp
becomes remains
dry fleshy

Dehiscent : Indehisce
Fruit split nt: The Schizocarpi
open at fruit does c:
maturity not split
open.
Drupe:
• It is a simple fleshy fruit.
• It is developed from monocarpellary or multi
carpellary, syncarpous ovary. Here the pericarp
has three distinct layers
• Epicarp forms the skin of the
fruit
• Mesocarp is fibrous / pulpy
• Endocarp is hard and stony.
BERRY:
Berry:
It is a simple fleshy fruit.
It is derived from monocarpellary or
polycarpellary syncarpous ovary.
Here, Epicarp forms the skin
Mesocarp and endocarp forms the pulp
and in the pulp the seeds remain scattered.
Longitudinal section

Transverse/Cross section
FUNCTIONS OF TOMATO
• Tomatoes are the major dietary source of
the antioxidant lycopene, which has been
linked to many health benefits, including
reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
• They are also a great source of vitamin C,
potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
• NOTE:
• Berry, in botany, a simple fleshy fruit that usually has
many seeds, such as the banana, grape, and tomato.
• As a simple fruit, a berry is derived from a
single ovary of an individual flower. The middle and
inner layers of the fruit wall often are not distinct from
each other. Together with drupes and pomes, berries are
one of the main types of fleshy fruits.
• There are two specific types of berries that characterize
certain taxonomic groups. The leathery-rinded berry of
citrus fruits (genus Citrus) is called a hesperidium.
• The elongated tough-skinned fruits of the
family Cucurbitaceae, including watermelons,
cucumbers, and gourds, are a type of berry referred to
as pepos.
• Any small fleshy fruit is popularly called a berry,
especially if it is edible. Raspberries, blackberries,
and strawberries, for example, are not true berries but
are aggregate fruits—fruits that consist of a number of
Pome
It is a simple fleshy false fruit.
Here the edible part of the fruit is
the fleshy receptacle.
Capsule:
It is simple dry dehiscent fruit.
It is derived from polycarpellary syncarpous
superior ovary.
At maturity the fruit splits open
Loculicidal
Septicidal
Legume:
It is simple dry dehiscent fruit.
It is derived from monocarpellary
ovary. Here the fruit splits along
both the sutures
Cypsela:
It is a simple, dry and indehiscent fruit.
It is derived from bicarpellary, syncarpous
supireour ovary.
It is unilocular and single seeded fruit.
Schizocarpic fruits:
These are dry fruits developed from
syncarpous ovary.
Dry fruits that exhibit both dehiscent and
indehiscent feature.
At maturity they break up into individual
indehiscent one seeded bits.
Lomentum – Opens into single seeded
E.g.
mericarps.
Mimosa.
Cremocarp:
It is a Schizoczrpic fruit.
At maturity it splits into two one seeded
indehiscent mericarp.
Aggregate fruits:
Single flower produces many fruits in
clusters. Each tiny fruit is called fruitlet.
A bunch of fruitlets is called Etaerio.
These fruits are developed from
polycarpellary apocarous ovary.
Etaerio of drupes:
It is a cluster of drupe type of fruits. E.g.
Raspberry (Rubus)
Etaerio of follicles:
It is a cluster of follicle types of fruits. E.g.
Champaka,
Etaerio of berries:
Cluster of berry type of fruitsE.g.
Custard apple
Multiple fruits:
develop from entire inflorescence.
Sorosis – develops from spike or spadix
inflorescence.
E.g. Jack fruit (yellow perianth is edible),
Pineapple (swollen fleshy rachis is edible),
Mulberry.
Syconus – develops from hypanthodium
inflorescence. E.g. Ficus (Thalamus is
edible)
Seed –the fertilized ovules:
Seeds are covered by seed coat and
enclose partially developed
sporophytic plant.
Seeds lacking endosperm are called
exalbuminous or non-endosperms seeds
while seed with endosperm are
albuminous or endospermous seeds.
Dicotyledon seed:
It is exalbuminous seed attached to the
fruit wall by funicle.
The hilum appears as a scar. At the lower end of
scar there is a ridge called raphae and at
opposite end micropyle. The embryo occupies
entire seed.
It has two cotyledons and a curved axis.
The portion of the axis above cotyledon is
radicle (grows into root system) and the
portion of the axis between two cotyledons is
plumule (grows into shoot system). The
plumule consists of epicotyl, mesocotyl and
hypocotyls.
E.g. Bean seed.
Monocotyledon seed:
It is albuminous seed.
Seed coat is fused with fruit wall
(Caryopsis). The apical endosperm is
separated from embryo by aleurone
layer.
The embryo contains single cotyledon.
The plumule is covered by coleoptile
while radicle is protected by coleorhiza.
E.g. Maize seed.
QUIZ

WHAT IS DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN C?

Scurvy is the name for a vitamin C deficiency. It can

• S. R. Mahindrakar