SECTION III 



FRUITS 



Fruits are generally classified into true, spurious, and collective 

 fruits. A true fruit may be defined as the mature ovary of a single 

 flower. A spurious fruit is one in the formation of which other 

 structures have taken part, while a collective fruit consists of the 

 mature carpels of several flowers united with the bracts and floral 

 envelopes. 



True fruits may be further subdivided according as they are 

 indehiscent or dehiscent, monocarpellary or polycarpellary. 



The following classification of the most important fruits may be 

 useful to the student for reference : 



A. TRUE FRUITS 



1. INDEHISCENT MONOCARPELLARY FRUITS 



(a) The Achene, a superior one-celled, one-seeded fruit with a dry, 



indehiscent, closely applied but separable pericarp (true fruits 

 of the fig). 



(b) The Caryopsis, a superior one-celled, one-seeded, fruit with a dry, 



indehiscent, inseparable pericarp (Graminaceous fruits). 



(c) The Drupe, a superior one-celled, one- or two-seeded, indehiscent 



fruit with a fleshy or pulpy mesocarp and hard endocarp 

 (prune, pimento, Cocculus indicus). 



2. INDEHISCENT POLYCARPELLARY FRUITS 



(a) The Nut, a dry, hard, indehiscent, one-celled, one- or two-seeded 



fruit more or less enclosed in a cupule. 

 (6) The Schizocarp, an inferior dry, indehiscent fruit, splitting as it 



ripens into its component carpels, which remain attached to the 



carpophore (Umbelliferous fruits are two-celled schizocarps). 

 (c) The Berry, an indehiscent, one or more celled, many-seeded, 



pulpy fruit (orange, lemon, bitter apple, pomegranate, &c.). 



