Mrs. Kalicharan Lesson 1 Unit: Disease Fruit structure Mrs. Kalicharan Lesson 1 Unit: Disease

What are these?

Definition of fruit A fruit is a part of a flowering plant that derives from specific tissues of the flower, one or more ovaries, and in some cases accessory tissues. Fruits are the means by which these plants disseminate seeds (fertilised ovules).

Fruits are found in two main categories: Dry fruits: fruits in this category can be further divided into fruit that split open and throw out their seeds e.g. flamboyant and those that do not split e.g. sunflower or corn Fleshy fruits: these include all the brightly coloured and juicy fruits which attract animals. E.g. mangoes, oranges

Labelled parts of a fruit

Labelled parts of a fruit

Parts of a fruit (pericarp) The pericarp is typically made up of three distinct layers: 1. the epicarp/ exocarp, which is the outermost layer; 2. the mesocarp, which is the middle layer; and 3. the endocarp, which is the inner layer surrounding the ovary or the seeds.

Parts of a fruit (pericarp) Epicarp- is the outermost layer of the pericarp. The epicarp forms the tough outer skin of the fruit, if there is one. Mesocarp- is the fleshy middle layer of the pericarp of a fruit; it is found between the epicarp and the endocarp. It is usually the part of the fruit that is eaten. Endocarp- is the inside layer of the pericarp, which directly surrounds the seeds. It may be membranous as in citrus where it is the only part consumed.