1. Biology – 328 Lab
Plants and People

2. Objective To understand what a fruit is
To study different parts of fruit
To learn different types of fruits

3. Background

6. Different parts of a fruit
Exocarp – Outermost layer
Endocarp – Innermost layer
Mesocarp – Middle layer
Pericarp - All three layers not recognizable
Rind - Thick leathery covering exocarp (eg, water melons) or fusion of exocarp and mesocarp (eg. Orange)
Accessory fruit – Fruits not derived from ovary
e.g. apple

7. Classification of fruits
Simple fruit – Fruit from a single flower and single ovary
Aggregate fruit – Fruit from a single flower but several ovaries eg. Blackberry, strawberry
Multiple fruit – Fruit from multiple flowers in the same peduncle eg. Pineapple, Mulberry

8. Simple fruits
Dry dehiscent fruit – Pericarp dries and splits open when ripe.
Follicle – 1 locule that splits along one suture
e.g. Sweet gum
Legume/pod – 1 locule and splits along 2 sutures
e.g. Beans
Capsule – 3 or more locules and splits in 3 or more sutures
e.g. Okra

9. Simple fruits
Dry indehiscent fruit – Pericarp dries but does not split when ripe
Samara – 1 or 2 seeded with pericarp flattened into wings e.g. maple
Grain/Caryopsis – 1 seeded fruit with seed fused to pericarp e.g. corn
Achene – 1 seeded fruit with seed free from pericarp
e.g. sunflower
Nut – 1 seeded fruit enclosed in husk
e.g. Pecan

10. Simple fruits Fleshy fruit- Pericarp doesn't dry when ripe
Berry – entire pericarp is fleshy e.g. Grape
Pepo – Exocarp is a hard rind e.g. Melons
Hesperidium – Exocarp and mesocarp is a hard rind, endocarp has juice vesicles e.g. Orange
Drupe or stone – a single seeded fruit fuzzy or smooth skin, fleshy mesocarp and a hard stony endocarp
e.g. Peach
Pome – Fleshy receptacle, hypanthium with papery pericarp e.g. Apple

11. Today’s Lab
Carefully examine the fruits, paying special attention to their morphology, structure, family and scientific name, and geographic origin. During the exercise, answer the following questions for each fruit observed. 1. What is the fruit type? 2. How many carpels are present? 3. How might they might be dispersed in nature.

12. Summary Today’s Lab Types of fruits and characteristics
Next week’s lab – Major Families I
Quiz on Fruits