150 



MORPHOLOGY 



CHAPTER XXI 



FRUITS AND SEEDS 



We have learnt that seeds are produced from 

 ovules as the result of fertilization. Fertilization also 

 gives an impetus to the growth of the ovary, which 

 then matures and forms what is known as fruit. If 



fertilization fails, the ovary, as a rule, 



does not develop 



into' a fruit, but 



withers and falls 



away along with 



the other parts 



of the flower. 



There are, how- 

 ever, some ex- 

 ceptions, met 



with mostly in 



cultivated plants, 



such as Plantain, 



Orange, Guava, 



Papaw, &c. , in 



which the ovary , 



matures into fruit even without previous fertilization. 

 This has been the result of a long process of culti- 

 vation and selection. 



A fruit may therefore be defined as a mature ovary. 

 In some cases the calyx persists, forming a more or 

 less complete covering of the fruit. Thus in the 

 Labiatce or tulsi family of plants the dry calyx per- 

 sists in the form of an . open xup enclosing the 4-lobed 

 small fruit at its bottom (fig. 129). In other cases, 

 as chalta, sal, sagoon, begoon, tepari {Physalis per- 

 uviana), krishna-kali, punar-naba (see fig. 223, *), 



Figf. 129, -1-0, 4-lobed 

 ovary, st, Gynobasic 

 style, c. Calyx. 



Fig. 130. — Ovai'y enclosed 

 within persistent Base of the 

 Perianth 



Bagrh- anchrha § {Pisonia 

 aculeata) 



